MAURUS 


TOLD  BY  THE   DEATH'S  HEAD 


1  Stay,  Constable,  I  want  to  see  what  you    put    into    that 
fire  pot  —  open  it" 


TOLD   BY  THE 
DEATH'S  HEAD 

A  ROMANTIC  TALE 

BY 

MAURUS    JOKAI 

TRANSLATED  BY 

S.    E.    BOGGS 

Translator  of  Prof.  Haeckel's  "India  and  Ceylon,"  Maurus  Jokai's 
"The  Nameless  Castle,"  etc. 


ILLUSTRATED 


THE  SAALF1ELD  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 

CHICAGO  AKRON,  OHIO  NEW  YORK 

1908 


COPYRIGHT,  1902, 

BY 
THE   SAAI^FlEIyD   PUBLISHING   COMPANY 


MADE    BY 
THE    WERNER    COMPANY 

AKRON,    OHIO 


PREFACE. 


In  Part  II,  Vol.  2,  of  the  Rhenish  Antiquarius,  I 
once  came  across  a  skull  that  is  said — see  page  612 — 
to  swing,  enclosed  in  a  metal  casket,  from  an  iron  bar 
in  the  foundry  of  Ehrenbreitstein  fortress.  Distinction 
of  this  order  does  not  fall  to  an  ordinary  mortal.  Yon 
empty  shell  of  human  wisdom  once  bore  the  burden 
of  no  less  than  twenty-one  mortal  sins — the  seven 
originalia  trebled.  Each  crime  is  noted.  The  crimi- 
nal confessed  to  the  entire  three-times-seven,  and  yet 
the  death  sentence  was  not  passed  upon  him  because 
of  the  twenty-one  crimes.  His  fate  was  decided  by  the 
transgression  of  a  military  regulation. 

What  if  this  skull  could  speak?  What  if  it  could 
defend  itself? — relate,  with  all  the  grim  humor  of  one 
on  the  rack,  the  many  pranks  played — the  mad  follies 
committed,  from  the  banks  of  the  Weicfisel  to  the  delta 
of  the  Ganges ! 

If  my  highly  esteemed  readers  will  promise  to  give 
me  their  credulous  attention,  I  will  relate  what  was 
told  to  me  by  the  death's  head. 

THE  AUTHOR. 


281672 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

By  Charles  Hope  Provost 


PAGE 

"Stay,  Constable,  I  want  to  see  what  you  put  into  that 

fire  pot — open  it  *' Frontispiece 

w  I  took  my  lamp,  descended  to  the  crypt " 167 

"  I  could  read  in  her  radiant  countenance  how  overjoyed 
she  was  to  be  with  me  again ;  and  I  was  enrap- 
tured to  clasp  her  once  more  in  my  arms " 252 

''*  Thus  I  managed  to  propel   my  body  slowly,  painfully 

toward  the  stable  earth  " 296 


PART    I. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE  "FIRE-POT." 

The  hero  of  our  romantic  narrative,  or  better,  narra- 
tives, was  a  constable.  Not  one  of  that  useful  class 
appointed,  in  our  day,  to  direct  the  vehicles  which  pass 
over  the  two  approaches  to  the  suspension-bridge  in 
Budapest;  rather,  he  was  the  chief  of  a  body  whose 
task  it  is  to  provoke  disturbance,  who  win  all  the  more 
praise  and  glory  the  greater  the  havoc  and  destruction 
they  create.  In  a  word :  he  was  a  gunner. 

The  chronicle  of  his  exploits  gives  only  his  Christian 
name,  which  was  "Hugo." 

In  the  year  1688,  when  the  French  beleaguered 
Coblentz,  Hugo  had  charge  of  the  battery  in  the  outer- 
most tower  of  Ehrenbreitstein  fortress — the  "Monta- 
lembert  Tower." 

Coblentz  and  Ehrenbreitstein  are  opposite  one 
another  on  the  banks  of  the  Rhine,  as  are  Pesth  and 
Ofen ;  and  the  Blocksberg  looks  down  on  us,  as  does 
the  citadel  of  Ehrenbreitstein  on  Coblentz. 

The  city,  which  is  strongly  fortified  on  all  sides,  had 
become  accustomed  to  being  beleaguered — now  by  the 

(5) 


6  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

French,  now  by  the  Prussians ;  today  by  the  Austrians, 
tomorrow  by  the  Swedes. 

On  the  occasion  of  which  I  write,  Coblentz  was 
under  a  terrible  fire  from  the  French  guns,  which 
created  great  havoc  in  that  portion  of  the  city  known 
as  the  "Old  Town." 

Specially  memorable  and  remarkable  was  the  man- 
ner in  which  the  "fire-balls"  seemed  to  know  just 
where  to  find  the  abodes  of  the  duke,  and  the  com- 
mandant of  the  fortress.  It  mattered  not  how  often 
they  changed  their  quarters,  the  Frenchmen  would 
always  discover  them,  and  aim  accordingly — though 
it  was  impossible  to  see  into  the  city  from  outside  the 
walls.  There  certainly  must  have  been  some  witch- 
craft at  work.  Hugo's  Montalembert  tower  was  on  the 
side  of  the  fortress  most  exposed  to  the  assaults  of  the 
enemy ;  its  successful  defense,  therefore,  was  all  the 
more  worthy  of  praise. 

The  management  of  ordnance  in  those  days  was  not 
the  comparatively  simple  matter  it  is  today,  with  the 
Krupp  and  the  Uchatius  guns.  It  was  a  real  science 
to  fetch  from  the  furnace  a  white-hot  cannon-ball,  ram 
it  into  the  long,  slender  culverin,  and  if,  after  the  dis- 
charge, the  ball  remained  sticking  in  the  throat  of  the 
gun,  to  remove  it  with  the  various  forceps,  nippers, 
and  tongs ;  and,  after  every  shot,  to  examine  with  a 
curious  implement  resembling  Mercury's  caducens, 
the  interior  of  the  culverin  to  learn  whether  the  dis- 
charge had  caused  a  rupture  anywhere. 

However,  it  is  not  necessary  to  be  a  great  genius  in 
order  to  master  all  the  intricacies  and  technicalities  of 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  7 

a  gunner's  trade.    An  ordinary  man  might  even  learn, 
after  some  practice,  how  to  handle  an  "elephant ;"  and, 
if  he  were  intrusted  with  the  quadrant,  he  might  also 
manage  to  discharge  the  heavier  bombs  with  satisfac- 
tory result.     It  must  be  remembered,  though,  that  a 
gunner  needs  to  possess  considerable  skill  as  well  as 
experience  in  order  to  hurl  successfully  against  the 
approaching    foe    a    "fire-shield,"    which    discharges 
simultaneously  from  every  one  of  its  thirty-five  holes 
as  many  bullets;  and  the  "storm-tub"  requires  even 
more  dexterity.     This  implement  of  warfare  runs  on 
two  wheels.     The  axles  are  spiked  with  keen-edged 
knives,  and  the  wheels  are    filled    with    gunpowder, 
which  ignites  and  explodes  when  the  machine  is  set  in 
motion.     If    the    powder    ignites    promptly    in    both 
wheels  at  the  same  instant,  the  infernal  thing  dashes 
like  an  infuriated  bull  into  the  ranks  of  the  enemy, 
burning  the  eyes   of  some,   scorching  the  beards  of 
others,    and   hacking   and    slashing   everything    with 
which  its  revolving  knives  come  in  contact.     If  the 
powder    in    only    one    of   the    wheels    explodes,    the 
machine  spins  around  on  the  motionless  wheel  like  a 
top,  and  scatters  an  entire  company;  if  the  second 
wheel  explodes  only  half  a  second  after  the  first,  then 
those  who  have  the  management  of  the  demon  will  do 
well  to  take  to  their  heels  with  all  speed  possible. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  explain  at  length  the  advan- 
tages of  the  chain-shot.  Anyone  will  be  able  to  under- 
stand its  operation  if  he  will  but  remember  that,  when 
two  balls  connected  by  a  chain  are  discharged  toward 
the  enemy,  and  one  of  the  balls  strikes  a  man,  the  other 


8  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

ball  will,  naturally,  circle  around  the  unfortunate  until 
the  entire  length  of  chain  is  wound  tightly  about  him ; 
the  circling  ball,  meanwhile,  will  strike  with  various 
results :  the  head,  the  nose,  the  ear,  or  some  other  por- 
tion of  the  bodies  of  the  soldiers  within  its  radius.  It  is 
greatly  to  be  regretted  that  the  use  of  the  "handle-ball" 
has  been  discontinued.  This  weapon  was  shaped  very 
much  like  two  pot-ladles,  bound  together  at  the  han- 
dles by  an  iron  ring.  The  man  who  chanced  to  be 
caught  between  the  two  ladles  might  congratulate  him- 
self that  he  escaped  with  nothing  worse  than  a  chok- 
ing ;  while  the  two  soldiers  on  his  right  and  left,  whose 
heads  had  been  caught  in  the  bowls  of  the  ladles,  would 
remember,  to  the  end  of  their  days,  the  peculiar  and 
disagreeable  sensation  experienced.  There  were  two 
more  wonderful  implements  of  warfare :  one  a  German, 
the  other  a  French  invention.  The  former,  which  was 
an  emanation  from  Hugo's  brain,  was  called  a  "Bom- 
benjungen-werfer."*  It  was  a  huge  mortar,  the  central 
cavity  capable  of  holding  a  bomb  of  fifty  pounds 
weight;  surrounding  this  cavity  were  eight  smaller 
bores,  each  holding  a  five-pound  bomb.  The  same 
charge  hurled  every  one  of  the  nine  bombs  in  rapid 
succession  from  the  mortar ;  and  one  can  imagine  the 
astonishment  of  the  Frenchman  when,  after  hearing 
but  one  report,  the  eight  "babies"  followed,  one  after 
the  other,  the  mother  bomb. 

This  was  a  diversion  Hugo  prepared  for  the  belea- 
guerers,  who  in  return  invented  an  amusement  for  him. 

*Anglice:    "Hurler  of  baby-bombs." 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  9 

It  was  a  "fire-pot,"  was  shaped  exactly  like  the  earthen 
water-jug  the  Hungarian  reaper  carries  with  him  to 
the  harvest  field  to  preserve  his  drinking-water  fresh 
and  cool.  The  machine  was  made  of  iron,  and  filled 
with  a  diabolical  mixture.  It  had  four  spouts — pre- 
cisely like  our  water-jug — from  which  the  fire  would 
hiss  and  sputter ;  it  was  intended  to  set  fire  to  every- 
thing combustible  where  it  fell. 

The  Germans  also  had  what  are  called  "fire-balls," 
which  hiss  and  spit,  and  set  fire  to  everything  about 
them ;  and  other  bombs  which  explode  the  moment 
they  touch  the  earth.  The  French  fire-pot,  however, 
combined  these  two  properties:  it  set  fire  first,  and 
exploded  afterward. 

The  beleaguered  understood  very  well  how  to  man- 
age a  fire-ball.  Like  Helene  Zrinyi,  the  heroine  who 
defended  the  fortress  of  Munkacs,  the  Germans  had 
learned,  so  soon  as  a  fire-ball  fell  inside  the  walls,  to 
cover  it  with  a  wet  bullock's-hide,  which  would  at  once 
smother  the  fire-spitting  monster,  and  render  it  harm- 
less. 

But  the  fire-pot  was  not  to  be  treated  so  summarily. 
If  the  Germans  attempted  to  smother  the  fire-demon, 
to  prevent  the  air  from  reaching  his  four  noses,  he 
would  burst,  and  woe  to  him  who  chanced  to  be  in  the. 
way  of  the  flying  splinters !  He,  at  least,  would  have 
no  further  desire  to  sport  with  a  fire-pot. 

It  happened  one  day  that  a  fire-pot,  which  had  fallen 
inside  the  fortress,  did  not  explode  after  it  had  hissed 
and  spit  out  its  fury.  When  it  became  cool  enough  it 
was  taken  to  Hugo. 


10  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

"Now  I  shall  find  out  what  is  inside  this  dangerous 
missile,"  remarked  the  constable ;  "then  I'll  make  some 
like  it  and  send  them  to  our  friends  over  yonder." 

Over  the  neck  of  the  fire-pot  was  a  sort  of  hat, 
shaped  like  those  covering  the  necks  of  the  Hungarian 
wooden  bottles  (esutora).  This  hat,  of  course,  could 
be  removed.  After  this  discovery  Hugo  invited  the 
commandant,  the  grand-duke,  the  governor  and  mayor 
of  the  city,  the  syndic,  and  the  duke's  alchemist  to  be 
present  at  the  opening  of  the  fire-pot. 

Now  each  one  of  the  invited  said  to  himself:  "It 
will  be  enough  if  the  others  are  there — why  should  I 
go?  The  infernal  machine  may  explode  when  they 
are  opening  it." 

And  so  they  all  stopped  bravely  at  home  and  Hugo 
alone  found  out  what  was  in  the  fire-pot. 

After  it  was  opened,  and  Hugo  had  convinced  him- 
self of  the  nature  of  the  diabolical  compound  it  con- 
tained, he  proceeded  to  cast  several  fire-pots  like 
the  French  one ;  and,  in  the  presence  of  the  command- 
ant and  the  grand-duke,  shot  them  into  the  enemy's 
camp.  The  two  distinguished  gentlemen,  who  were 
peering  through  their  telescopes,  were  highly  delighted 
when  they  saw  the  bombs,  which'  flew  through  the  air 
like  dragons  with  tails  of  fire,  reach  the  points  at  which 
they  had  been  aimed,  ignite  everything  inflammable, 
and  afterward  explode.  Now  and  again  it  would  hap- 
pen that  one  of  Hugo's  fire-pots  would  fail  to  explode 
in  the  Frenchmen's  camp,  just  as  theirs  would  some- 
times fail  to  do  what  was  expected  of  them.  But  Hugo 
always  collected  the  enemy's  unexploded  bombs,  and, 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  11 

after  opening  and  refilling  them  with  fresh  explosives, 
would  hurl  them  back  whence  they  came. 

Oh,  I  tell  you  war  was  conducted  in  those  good  old 
days  on  economical  lines! 

As  late  even  as  the  year  1809  Napoleon  had  his  men 
collect  28,000  of  the  enemy's  cannon-balls  on  the  bat- 
tle-field of  Wagram,  and  shot  them  back  at  the  Aus- 
trians;  and  had  the  fight  continued  two  days  longer, 
the  opposing  armies  would  have  ricocheted  the  same 
balls  back  and  forth  so  long  as  the  cannonading  made 
it  necessary. 

The  grand-duke,  as  was  proper,  rewarded  the  con- 
stable for  his  discovery  by  an  increase  of  pay — from 
sixteen  to  twenty  thalers  a  month ;  and  in  addition 
made  him*a  present  of  a  barrel  of  strong  beer,  which 
gave  offence  to  the  commandant,  who  was  obliged  to 
quench  his  thirst  with  a  weaker  brew. 

Hugo  had  many  enviers,  but  none  of  them  ventured 
to  pick  a  quarrel  with  him.  He  had  the  frame  of  an 
athlete;  his  face,  with  its  luxuriant  red-beard,  resem- 
bled that  of  a  lion.  He  was  always  in  a  good  humor ; 
no  one  had  ever  seen  Hugo  angry,  embarrassed,  or 
frightened.  There  were  no  traces  of  trouble  and 
grief  on  his  countenance.  He  was  perhaps  forty  years 
of  age,  was  somewhat  disfigured  by  small-pox  pits,  but 
wherever  there  was  a  pretty  girl  or  woman  to  be  won, 
Hugo  was  sure  to  attract  her.  He  was  fond  of  good 
living — liked  everything  to  be  of  the  best,  consequently 
his  money  never  remained  long  in  his  pockets. 

The  constable's  epicurean  tastes  irritated  the  mayor, 
who,  as  chief  of  the  city  militia,  outranked  the  artiller- 


12  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

ist.  But  Hugo  managed  on  all  occasions  to  out-do  his 
superior  officer.  Rieke,  the  trim  little  suttler-wife, 
would  slap  the  militia  captain's  fingers  if  he  ventured 
to  give  her  a  chin-chuck,  but  a  hearty  hug  from  the 
smiling  constable  never  met  with  a  repulse.  In  con- 
sequence of  the  siege  prices  for  the  necessaries,  as  well 
as  for  the  luxuries  of  life,  had  become  exorbitant  in 
both  cities.  Three  thalers  was  the  unheard-of  price 
asked;  at  market  for  a  fat  goose.  The  mayor's  wife 
haggled  for  a  long  time  about  the  price  without  suc- 
cess, when  along  came  pretty  Rieke. 

"How  much  for  your  goose?"  she  asked. 

"Three  thalers." 

"I'll  take  it." 

She  paid  the  money  and  marched  away  with  the 
goose. 

By  some  means  the  mayor  learned  that  Hugo  had  a 
baked  fat  goose  for  his  dinner. 

"Look  here,  constable,"  he  said  next  day  to  the 
artillerist,  "how  comes  it  that  you  can  afford  to  feast  on 
fat  goose  while  I,  the  mayor,  and  your  superior  officer, 
must  content  myself  with  lean  herring,  cheese  and 
bread?  Your  pay  is  only  twenty  thalers  a  month; 
mine  is  three  florins  a  day.  Pray  tell  me  how  you 
manage  it?" 

To  which  Hugo  made  answer : 

"Well,  mayor,  if  I  wanted  to  deceive  you,  I  should 
say  that  the  money  for  all  the  good  things  I  enjoy  does 
not  come  from  my  pocket ;  that  Rieke,  who  is  infatua- 
ted with  me  (how  I  managed  that  part  of  the  business 
I  shouldn't  tell  you),  supplies  me  with  whatever  I  want. 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  13 

But  I'll  be  honest  with  you  and  tell  you  the  truth — but 
pray  don't  betray  my  secret,  for  I  don't  want  to  have 
anything  to  do  with  the  priests.  What  I  tell  you  is  in 
strictest  confidence  and  must  not  go  any  farther:  I 
have  a  magic  thaler,  one  of  those  coins,  vulgarly  called 
a  'breeding-penny,'  that  always  returns  to  my  pocket 
no  matter  how  often  I  may  spend  it — " 

"You  don't  say  so !  And  how  came  you  by  such  a 
coin,  constable?" 

"I'll  tell  you  that,  too,  mayor,  only  be  careful  not  to 
let  the  Capuchins  hear  of  it.  I  got  the  thaler  in  the 
Hochstatt  marshes,  from  a  bocksritter — "* 

"I  hope  you  didn't  bond  your  soul  to  him  for  it?" 
interrupted  the  mayor. 

"Not  I.  I  outwitted  the  devil  by  giving  the  ritter 
an  ignorant  Jew  lad  in  my  stead." 

"You  must  keep  that  transaction  a  secret,"  cautioned 
the  mayor ;  then  he  hastened  to  repeat  what  he  had 
heard  to  the  grand-duke. 

"Would  to  heaven  every  thaler  I  possess  were  a 
breeding-penny !"  exclaimed  the  high-born  gentleman. 
"It  would  make  the  carrying  on  a  war  an  easy  matter/ 

From  the  day  it  became  known  that  Constable  Hugo 
possessed  that  never-failing  treasure,  a  magic  coin,  and 
was  in  league  with  the  all-powerful  bocksritter,  he  rose 
in  the  esteem  of  his  fellows. 

Meanwhile  Ehrenbreitstein  and  Coblentz  continued 
under  bombardment  from  the  Frenchmen.  The 
enemy's  fire-pots  never  failed  to  find  the  grand-duke's 


'Satyr. 


14  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

quarters,  notwithstanding  the  fact  that  he  changed 
them  every  day.  This  at  last  became  so  annoying  that 
treason  began  to  be  suspected,  and  the  duke  offered  a 
reward  for  the  detection  of  the  spy  who  gave  the  infor- 
mation to  the  enemy.  That  a  spy  was  at  work  in  the 
German  camp  was  beyond  question,  though  the  outlets 
of  both  cities  were  so  closely  guarded  that  it  would  have 
been  impossible  for  a  living  mortal  to  pass  through 
them.  Nor  could  the  treason  have  been  committed  by 
means  of  carrier-pigeons,  for,  whatever  of  domestic 
fowl-kind  had  been  in  the  cities  had  long  since  been 
devoured  by  the  hungry  citizens.  The  mayor,  ever  on 
the  alert  for  transgressors,  had  his  suspicions  as  to  who 
might  be  the  spy.  Every  man  but  one  in  the  be- 
leaguered cities  fasted,  lamented,  prayed,  cursed,  wept, 
as  the  case  might  be,  save  this  one  man,  who  remained 
constantly  cheerful,  smiling,  well-fed. 

When  one  of  the  Frenchmen's  fiery  monsters  came 
hissing  and  spitting  into  the  fortress  this  one  man, 
instead  of  taking  to  his  heels  and  seeking  the  shelter 
of  a  cellar,  as  did  the  rest  of  his  comrades,  would  coolly 
wait  until  the  fire-pot  fell  to  the  ground,  and,  if  it  failed 
to  burst  he  would  dig  it  out  of  the  earth  into  which  it 
had  bored  itself  and  carry  it  to  the  foundry. 

Surely  this  was  more  than  foolhardiness ! 

The  constable  always  opened  the  enemy's  unex- 
ploded  fire-pots  in  his  subterranean  work-room;  re- 
filled them  there,  then  hurled  them  back  without  delay. 
There  was  something  more  than  amusement  behind 
this. 

One  day,  when  Hugo  came  up  from  his  subterra- 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  15 

nean  workroom,  he  encountered  the  mayor,  who  said 
to  him : 

"Stay,  constable,  I  want  to  see  what  you  put  into 
that  fire-pot — open  it." 

Without  a  moment's  hesitation  Hugo  unscrewed  the 
lid  and  revealed  the  explosives  wrapped  in  coarse 
linen ;  at  the  same  time  he  explained  how  much  gun- 
powder, hazel-wood  charcoal,  sulphur,  resin,  pitch,  sal- 
ammoniac,  borax  and  acetate  of  lead  were  necessary  to 
make  up  the  amount  of-  unquenchable  fire  required  for 
the  bomb. 

"Very  good,"  quoth  the  city  functionary,  "but  what 
beside  these  is  there  in  the  bottom  of  the  pot?" 

"Under  this  earthen  plate,  your  honor,  is  more  gun- 
powder. When  the  explosives  on  top  are  burnt  out 
this  plate,  which  has  become  red-hot,  explodes  the 
powder  and  bursts  the  bomb — that  is  the  whole  secret 
of  the  infernal  machine." 

"I  should  like  to  see  what  is  under  the  earthen 
plate." 

As  the  mayor  spoke  these  words  the  constable  gave 
a  sudden  glance  over  his  shoulder.  In  the  glance  was 
expressed  all  the  temerity  of  the  adventurer,  mingled 
with  rage,  determination  and  alarm.  But  only  for  an 
instant.  The  mayor's  bailiffs  surrounded  him,  closing 
every  avenue  of  escape.  Then  he  burst  into  a  loud 
laugh,  shrugged  his  shoulders,  and  said : 

"Very  well,  your  honor,  see  for  yourself  what  is 
under  the  earthen  plate." 

The  mayor  forced  open  with  the  blade  of  his  pocket- 
knife  the  earthen  plate.  There  was  no  powder  in  the 


16  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

bottom  of  the  bomb,  only  some  ordinary  sand ;  but  in 
it  was  concealed  a  folded  paper  that  contained  a  minute 
description  of  the  situation  in  the  German  camp. 

"Bind  him  in  chains !"  exclaimed  the  mayor  in  a 
triumphant  voice.  "At  last  we  have  the  proofs  of  your 
treachery,  knave!  I'll  give  you  a  pretty  Rieke!  I'll 
serve  up  a  fat  goose  for  you !" 

Hugo  continued  to  laugh  while  the  bailiffs  were 
placing  the  fetters  on  his  hands  and  feet. 

As  if  to  complete  the  evidence  against  him,  there 
came  hissing  at  that  moment  a  fire-pot  from  the 
French  camp.  When  it  was  opened  and  the  earthen 
plate  removed  it  was  found  to  contain  two  hundred 
Albert  thalers ! 


CHAPTER  II. 


THE  TRIAL. 


The  hand  with  the  two  lines  under  it  signifies,  in 
the  court  records  (for  the  sake  of  brevity),  that  at 
this  point  in  the  trial,  the  chief  of  the  tribunal  gave  the 
signal  to  the  executioner  for  another  turn  of  the  wheel. 
When  this  had  been  done,  the  notary  would  take  down 
the  confession  until  the  prisoner  on  the  rack  would  cry 
out: 

"Have  mercy ! — compassion !" 

The  prince  was  seated  at  a  separate  table,  on  a  black- 
draped  throne-like  arm-chair  with  a  canopy. 

The  mayor  occupied  the  inquisitor's  chair. 

First  question  addressed  to  the  accused : 

"What  is  your  name?" 

"My  name,  in  Podolia,  is  'Jaroslav  Tergusko;'  in 
Zbarasz  it  is  'Zdenko  Kohaninsky;'  in  Odessa  it  is 
'Prater  Hilarius ;'  in  Hamburg,  'Elias  Junker ;'  in 
Minister  it  is  'William  Stramm  ;'  in  Amsterdam,  'Myn- 
heer Tobias  van  der  Bullen ;'  in  Singapore,  'Maharajah 
Kong;'  on  the  high  seas,  'Captain  Rouge;'  in  The 
Hague,  it  is  'Ritter  Malchus ;'  in  Lille,  'Chevalier  de 

(17) 


18  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

Mont  Olympe ;'  in  Pfalz,  'Doctor  Sarepta ;'  here,  I  am 
called  'Hugo  von  Habernik.' 

"Have  you  any  more  names?"  inquired  the  chair. 

At  this  question  everybody  began  to  laugh — the 
prince,  the  judges,  the  prisoner,  even  the  skull  on  the 
table.  The  chair  alone  remained  grim  and  dignified. 

"I  can't  remember  any  more  of  my  names,"  was  the 
prisoner's  reply. 


SECOND  QUESTION: 

"What  is  your  religion?" 

"I  was  born  an  Augsburg  Confession  heretic.  When 
I  went  to  Cracow  I  became  a  Socinian ;  in  the  Ukraine 
I  joined  the  Greek  church;  afterward  I  became  an 
orthodox  Catholic ;  later,  a  Rosicrucian ;  then  a  Qua- 
ker. I  have  also  professed  the  faith  of  Brahma;  and 
once  I  was  a  member  of  the  community  of  Atheists 
and  devil-worshipping  Manichees,  called  also  Cain- 
ists."  - 

"A  fine  array,  truly!"  commented  the  chair,  as  the 
notary  entered  the  list  in  the  register. 


THIRD  QUESTION: 

"What  is  your  occupation,  prisoner?" 

"I  have  been  ensign  ;  prisoner ;  slave ;  robber-chief ; 
parasite ;  ducal  grand-steward ;  mendicant  friar ; 
recruiting  sergeant ;  sacristan ;  knight ;  shell-fish 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  19 

dealer;' stock-jobber;  ship-captain;  viceroy;  pirate; 
teacher;  knacker's  assistant;  conjuror;  bocksritter; 
hangman;  pikeman;  quack-doctor;  prophet;  consta- 
ble—" 

"Stop!  Stop!"  interrupted  the  chair.  "The  notary 
cannot  keep  up  with  you." 

Again  the  court-room  resounded  with  laughter ;  the 
prisoner  on  the  rack,  as  well  as  the  skull  on  the  table, 
again  joined  in  the  merriment.  Everybody  seemed  in 
a  good  humor — that  is,  everybody  but  the  mayor.  He 
alone  was  grave. 

After  the  signal  to  the  executioner  the  fourth  ques- 
tion followed: 

"Of  what  crimes  are  you  guilty?" 

(For  the  purpose  of  greater  perspicuity  the  chair 
dictated  to  the  recording  secretary  the  Latin  nomen- 
clature of  the  crimes  confessed.) 

Prisoners :  "I  was  a  member  of  a  band  of  robbers 
and  incendiaries." 

"Primo,  latrocinium"  dictated  the  chair. 

Prisoner:  "I  won  the  affections  of  my  benefactor's 
wife." 

Chair :     "Secundo ,  adulterium. ' ' 

Prisoner:     "I  robbed  a  church." 

Chair:     "Tertio,  sacrilegium" 

Prisoner:  "I  masqueraded  as  a  nobleman  under  a 
false  name." 

Chair :     "  Quarto ,  larvatus. ' ' 

Prisoner :     "I  committed  a  forgery." 

Chair:     "Quinto,  falsorium." 

Prisoner :     "I  killed  my  friend  in  a  duel." 


20  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

Ohair:     "Sexto,  homicidium  ex  duello" 

Prisoner:     "I  cheated  my  partners  in  business." 

Chair:     "Septimo,  stellionatus  " 

Prisoner :     "I  betrayed  state  secrets  confided  to  me." 

Chair:     "Octavo,  felonia." 

Prisoner:  "I  used  for  my  own  purpose  money  be- 
longing to  others." 

Chair:     "Nono,  barattaria" 

Prisoner :     "I  worshipped  idols." 

Chair:     "Decimo,  idololatria." 

Prisoner:  "I  married  a  second  wife  while  the  first 
was  still  living." 

Chair :     '  *  Undecimo ,  bigamia. ' ' 

Prisoner:  "I  also  took  a  third,  fourth,  fifth  and 
sixth  wife." 

Chair:     "Eodem  numero  trigamia,  polygamia." 

Prisoner:     "I  murdered  a  king." 

Chair :     ' ' Decimo  secundo ,  regicidium . ' ' 

Prisoner :     "I  have  been  a  pirate." 

Chair :     "Decimo  tertia,  pirateria" 

Prisoner :     "I  killed  my  first  wife." 

Ohair :     * '  Decimo  quarto ,  uxoricidium . " 

Prisoner :     "I  practiced  conjuring." 

Chair:     "Decimo  quinto,  sorcellaria" 

Prisoner:     "I  have  been  in  league  with  Satan." 

Chair:  "Decimo  sexto,  pactum  diabolicum  impli- 
citum. 

Prisoner :     "I  have  coined  base  money." 

Chair:     "Decimo  septimo,  adulterator  monetariurn" 

Prisoner:     "I  preached  a  new  faith." 

Chair :    "Decimo  octavo ,  h&resis  schisma . ' ' 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  21 

Prisoner :     "I  have  been  a  quack  doctor." 

Chair:     "Decimo  nono,  veneficus." 

Prisoner:  "I  betrayed  a  fortress  intrusted  to  my 
guardianship." 

Chair:     "Vigesimo,  crimen  traditorum." 

Prisoner:     "I  have  eaten  human  flesh." 

Chair:  "Vigesimo  primo,  anthropophagia.  Can- 
nibalismus!"  cried  the  mayor  in  a  loud  tone,  bringing 
his  fist  with  considerable  force  down  on  the  pandects 
lying  before  him  on  the  table.  The  perspiration  was 
rolling  in  great  beads  over  his  forehead. 

The  prisoner  on  the  rack  laughed  heartily ;  but  this 
time  no  one  laughed  with  him.  The  executioner  had 
mistaken  the  chief's  wink  for  a  signal  to  turn  the 
wheel,  which  he  did,  and  the  sound  which  came  from 
the  victim's  throat  was  a  strange  mixture  of  merriment 
and  agony — as  if  he  were  being  tickled  and  strangled 
at  the  same  moment. 

W'hat  the  chief's  dictation  was  really  intended  to 
signify  was  that  the  proceedings  were  concluded  for 
the  day ;  that  the  accused  should  be  released  from  the 
rack  and  taken  back  to  his  dungeon. 

It  was  a  most  unusual  case — unique  in  the  annals  of 
the  criminal  court.  Never  before  had  a  prisoner 
acknowledged  himself  guilty  of,  or  accessory  to,  so 
many  crimes.  It  was  the  first  time  such  a  combination 
of  misdemeanors  had  come  before  the  tribunal.  The 
accused  would  certainly  have  to  be  tried  without 
mercy;  no  extenuating  circumstances  would  be 
allowed  to  interfere  with  justice. 

The  prince  was  extremely  interested  in  the  case. 


22  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

He  was  curious  to  learn  the  coherence  between  the 
individual  transgressions,  in  what  manner  one  led  to 
the  other,  and  gave  orders  that  the  trial  should  not  be 
resumed  the  next  day  until  he  should  arrive  in  court. 

The  prisoner  had  cause  for  laughter.  Before  his 
confession  reached  its  conclusion,  before  he  could 
relate  the  history  of  his  one-and-twenty  crimes,  the 
Frenchmen  would  capture  Coblentz  and  release  him 
from  imprisonment  and  death. 

But  one  may  laugh  too  soon ! 

What  was  to  be  done  with  this  fellow? 

That  the  death  penalty  was  his  just  desert  was  un- 
questionable ;  but  in  what  manner  should  it  be 
imposed?  Had  he  confessed  only  the  crime  for  which 
he  was  now  under  arrest — treason — the  matter  might 
be  settled  easily  enough :  he  would  be  shot  in  the  back. 
But  with  so  many  transgressions  to<  complicate  the 
matter  it  was  going  to  be  difficult  exceedingly  to  pro- 
nounce judgment. 

For  instance :  the  wheel  is  the  punishment  for  rob- 
bery; the  polygamist  must  be  divided  into  as  many 
portions  as  he  has  wives;  the  regicide  must  be  torn 
asunder  by  four  horses.  But  how  are  you  going  to 
carry  out  the  last  penalty  if  the  accused  has  already 
been  carved  into  six  portions?  Also,  it  is  decreed  that 
the  right  hand  of  a  forger  be  cut  off ;  the  servitor  of 
Satan  must  suffer  death  by  fire.  But  if  the  accused 
has  been  consumed  by  flames,  how  will  it  be  possible 
to  bray  him  to  pulp  in  a  mortar  for  having  committed 
uxoricide?  or,  how  carry  out  the  commands  of  the  law 


TOLD  BY  7 HE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  23 

which  prescribes  death  by  starvation  for  the  wretch 
who  is  guilty  of  cannibalism? 

After  much  deliberation  the  prince,  with  the  wisdom 
of  a  Solomon,  decided  as  follows : 

"The  prisoner,  who  is  arraigned  at  the  bar  for  trea- 
son, having  confessed  to  twenty-one  other  trans- 
gressions, shall  relate  to  the  court  a  detailed  account 
of  each  individual  crime,  after  which  he  shall  be  sen- 
tenced according  to  the  crime  or  crimes  found  by  the 
judges  to  be  the  most  heinous." 

This  decision  was  perfectly  satisfactory  to  the 
mayor ;  and  the  judges  gave  it  as  their  opinion  that,  as 
the  accused  would  require  all  his  strength  for  so  pro- 
longed an  examination,  it  would  be  advisable  to  sub- 
stitute the  torture  by  water  for  that  of  the  rack,  as  was 
first  decided. 

"No!  no!"  objected  the  prince.  "The  man  who  is 
forced  to  drink  nothing  but  water  is  not  in  the  mood 
to  relate  adventures  (I  know  that  by  experience!) 
Let  the  prisoner  be  subjected  to  mental  torture.  Sen- 
tence him  at  once  to  death,  and  when  he  is  not  before 
the  tribunal  let  him  be  shut  up  in  the  death-cell.  The 
hours  spent  in  that  gloomy  hole  are  a  torture  sufficient 
to  bring  any  criminal,  however  hardened  he  may  have 
become,  to  repentance.  Besides,  it  will  be  a  saving  of 
expense  to  the  city.  The  curious  citizens,  who  like  to 
gape  at  a  condemned  prisoner,  will,  out  of  compassion, 
supply  this  one  also  with  food  and  drink.  When  he 
has  eaten  and  drunk  his  fill,  we  will  have  him  brought 
to  the  court-room.  The  man  who  has  had  all  he  wants 
to  eat  and  drink  is  talkative !" 


24  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

The  judges  concurred  with  his  highness;  but  the 
mayor  growled  in  a  dissatisfied  tone : 

"This  knave,  who  confesses  to  having  committed 
twenty-one  crimes  in  addition  to  the  treachery  in  which 
we  detected  him,  will,  by  the  decision  of  his  highness, 
fare  better  than  his  judges,  who  have  learned  during 
the  siege  what  it  is  to  hunger  and  thirst." 

To  which  the  syndic  responded  consolingly : 

"Never  mind,  god-father !  Let  the  poor  wretch  gor- 
mandize between  the  rack  and  the  gallows.  Remem- 
ber the  old  saw :  'Today,  I — tomorrow,  you/  >: 


PART  II. 


CHAPTER  I. 
WITH  THE  ROBBERS— THE  PRSJAKA  CAVES. 

I  was  ensign  in  a  regiment  under  command  of 
General  Melchior  Hatzfeld  of  the  imperial  forces. 
(Thus  Hugo  began  his  confession  the  next  day  when 
he  had  been  brought  to  the  court-room  from  the  death- 
cell.)  My  conduct  at  that  time  was  exemplary;  I 
acquired  so  much  skill  in  handling  fire-arms  that,  at 
the  siege  of  Cracow,  I  was  advanced  to  the  position  of 
chief  gunner  of  a  battery. 

Cracow  at  that  time  was  in  the  hands  of  George 
Rakoczy,  prince  of  Transylvania,  who  had  leagued 
with  Sweden  to  subdue  Poland;  and  he  would  most 
likely  have  succeeded  had  not  the  imperial  army  come 
to  the  assistance  of  the  Poles. 

I  shall  not  dwell  long  on  the  siege  of  Cracow  lest  I 
awake  in  the  minds  of  the  honorable  gentlemen  of  the 
court  a  suspicion  that,  by  relating  incidents  not  imme- 
diately connected  with  my  transgressions,  I  am  pur- 
posely prolonging  my  recital.  I  shall  therefore  speak 
only  of  those  occurrences  which  it  will  be  necessary  to 
mention  in  order  to  explain  why  I  committed  the 
crimes  of  which  I  am  guilty.  While  with  the  army 

(25) 


26  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

before  Cracow  I  made  the  acquaintance  of  the  daughter 
of  a  Polish  noble.  The  young  lady,  who  took  a  great 
fancy  to  me — I  wasn't  a  bad-looking  youth  in  those 
days,  your  honors — was  a  charming  creature  of  sixteen 
years,  with  the  most  beautiful  black  eyes.  If  I  remem- 
ber rightly  her  name  was  Marinka.  She  taught  me 
how  to  speak  her  language — and  something  else,  too : 
how  to  love — the  fatal  passion  which  has  all  my  life 
been  the  cause  of  much  of  my  trouble. 

During  the  siege  my  general  frequently  sent  me  to 
reconnoiter  among  the  Hungarian  camps;  and -as  I 
was  a  fearless  youth,  I  would  venture  to  the  very  gates 
of  the  manor-houses  in  the  neighborhood  of  Cracow. 
At  one  of  these  houses  I  met  my  sweetheart ;  and  after 
that,  you  may  guess,  honored  sirs,  that  it  was  not  for 
the  general's  "yellow  boys"  alone  I  risked  my  neck 
night  after  night.  No,  my  little  Marinka's  spark- 
ling eyes  were  as  alluring  as  the  gold  pieces ;  and  I 
knew  when  I  set  out  on  my  nightly  tour  that  my  sweet- 
heart would  be  waiting  for  me  at  the  gates  of  her 
father's  place.  But  our  secret  meetings  were  at  last 
discovered.  There  was  an  old  witch  of  a  housekeeper 
who  ferreted  out  her  young  mistress'  secret,  and  in- 
formed the  old  noble.  One  moonlight  night  Marinka 
was  teaching  me  in  her  own  little  cozy  chamber  how  to 
say :  "Kocham  pana  z  calego  zersa" — which  is  "Mistress, 
I  love  you  with  my  whole  heart," — when  we  heard  her 
father's  heavy  footsteps  ascending  the  staircase.  I 
tell  you  I  was  frightened  and  said  to  myself,  "This  is 
the  end  of  you,  my  lad !"  but  Marinka  whispered  in  my 
ear; 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  27 

"Nebojsa!  (don't  be  afraid),  go  into  the  corridor, 
walk  boldly  toward  my  father,  and  to  whatever  he  may 
say  to  you,  do  you  reply  'God  is  One/  ' 

Then  she  softly  opened  the  door,  pushed  me  into 
the  corridor,  closed  and  locked  the  door  behind  me. 
The  old  gentleman  was  coming  up  the  stairs  very 
slowly  because  of  a  lame  leg  which  he  had  to  drag  after 
him  step  by  step.  He  had  a  square  red  face  which  I 
could  see  only  indistinctly  above  the  burning  lunt  he 
carried  in  one  hand,  blowing  it  continually  to  prevent 
it  from  going  out.  In  the  other  hand  he  held  a  mus- 
ket. The  blazing  lunt  must  have  blinded  him,  for  he 
did  not  see  me  until  the  muzzle  of  the  musket  came  in 
contact  with  my  breast.  Then  he  stopped  and  cried 
in  a  stern  voice: 

"Ktotam?    Stoj!    (Who  are  you?    Stand!) 

"God  is  One,"  I  made  answer.  What  else  could  I 
have  said?  The  old  gentleman's  aggressive  mien 
changed  at  once.  He  became  quite  friendly;  he 
extinguished  the  lunt  by  stamping  on  it  with  his  foot, 
tapped  my  shoulder  in  a  confidential  manner  and  called 
me  little  brother.  Then  taking  me  by  the  arm  he  led 
me  down  the  stairs  to  a  room  where  a  huge  fire  was 
blazing  on  the  hearth.  Here  he  bade  me  seat  myself 
on  a  settee  covered  with  a  bear  skin  and  placed  before 
me  an  English  flagon  of  spirits.  After  he  had  arranged 
everything  for  my  comfort  he  fetched  from  a  secret 
cupboard  a  small  book — it  was  so  small  I  could  have 
hidden  it  in  the  leg  of  my  boot — and  began  to  read  to 
me  all  manner  of  heretical  phrases  such  as  "There  is 
no  need  for  a  Holy  Trinity,  because  the  little  which  is 


28  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

done  on  earth  in  the  name  of  God  can  easily  be  done 
by  One  alone." 

My  hair  stood  on  end  as  I  listened  to  the  sinful 
words  and  I  found  what  a  trap  I  had  fallen  into.  My 
Marinka's  father  was  a  Socinian,  a  leader  of  the  here- 
tical sect,  and  he  was  trying  to  make  a  proselyte  of  me. 

The  doctrines  of  Blandrata  had  spread  extensively 
throughout  Poland,  but,  owing  to  the  persecution  of  its 
adherents,  they  could  meet  and  work  only  in  secret. 
The  old  noble's  manor  was  one  of  their  retreats,  where 
recent  converts  were  received  for  instruction.  When 
the  old  gentleman  believed  he  had  enlightened  me 
sufficiently  he  produced  a  heavy  volume,  bade  me  lay 
my  right  hand  on  it  and  repeat  after  him  the  vows  of 
the  society. 

You  may  believe  I  was  in  a  dilemma ! 

If  I  refused  to  repeat  the  vows  I  should  have  to 
confess  that  I  had  come  to  the  manor  for  Marinka's 
sake,  then  the  old  noble  would  fetch  his  musket  and 
send  me  straightway  to  paradise.  If,  on  the  ©ther 
hand,  I  repeated  the  vows,  then  I  was  sure  to  journey 
to  hades.  Which  was  I  to  choose? 

Should  I  elect  to  travel  by  extra-post,  direct,  with- 
out stopping,  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  or  should 
I  journey  leisurely  by  a  circuitous  route,  with  frequent 
halts,  to  hades? 

I  was  a  mere  lad ;  I  was  sorry  for  my  pretty  curly 
head — I  chose  the  latter  alternative ! 

From  that  time  I  became  a  daily  visitor  in  the 
retreat  of  the  followers  of  Socinus.  Being  a  neophyte 
I  was  permitted  to  take  part  in  their  meetings  only 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  29 

during  the  singing ;  when  the  sermon  began  I  was  sent 
to  the  gates  to  guard  against  a  surprise.  This  was  a 
welcome  duty ;  for,  once  outside  the  house,  all  thought 
of  taking  up  my  station  at  the  gates  would  leave  me 
and,  instead,  I  would  climb  the  tree  which  grew  close 
to  my  Marinka's  window,  swing  myself  by  a  branch 
into  her  room,  in  which  she  was  kept  a  prisoner  by  her 
father  to  prevent  our  meeting;  and  there,  while  the 
sages  below-stairs  expounded  the  dogma  of  the  unity 
of  God,  we  two  ignorant  young  people  demonstrated 
how  two  human  hearts  can  become  as  one. 

One  day  our  little  community  received  an  unex- 
pected addition  to  its  membership.  There  arrived 
from  Cracow  a  troop  of  Hungarian  soldiers  who  an- 
nounced themselves  as  followers  of  Socinus.  They 
received  a  hospitable  welcome  from  the  old  noble, 
whom  they  overwhelmed  with  joy  by  telling  him  the 
prince  of  Transylvania  had  become  an  adherent  of 
Socinus ;  that  his  highness  had  averred  that,  were  he 
the  King  of  Poland,  all  persecution  pf  the  heretics 
should  cease  at  once  and  that  some  of  the  churches 
should  be  given  over  to  them  for  their  worship. 

When  I  repeated  this  piece  of  news  to  my  general 
he  became  so  excited  he  sprang  from  his  seat — his 
head  almost  struck  the  roof  of  the  tent — -and  shouted : 
"It  is  perfectly  outrageous  how  those  Hungarians  will 
stoop  to  base  methods  in  order  to  win  allies !  If  they 
succeed  in  inveigling  the  Polish  Socinians  to  their 
ranks  then  we  may  as  well  stop  trying  to  get  them  out 
of  Poland !" 

Fortunately,     however,     there     arose     dissensions 


SO  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

between  the  Hungarian  and  the  Polish  adherents  of 
Socinus.  I  must  mention  here,  in  order  to  explain 
how  I  became  cognizant  of  the  facts  I  am  about  to 
relate,  that  Marinka's  father  had  begun  to  suspect  me. 
Instead  of  sending  me  to  stand  guard  at  the  gates 
when  the  sermon  began,  I  was  permitted  to  hear  it  and 
take  part  in  the  disputations. 

The  Hungarian  troopers  maintained  that  it  was 
the  duty  of  all  pious  Socinians  to  commemorate,  at 
every  one  of  tEeir  meetings,  the  death  of  the  Savior  by 
drinking  wine ;  and  they  were  so  extremely  devout  that 
an  entire  quarter-cask  of  their  host's  best  Tokay  was 
emptied  at  every  celebration. ,  After  the  meetings, 
when  the  old  noble  would  lift  and  shake  the  empty 
wine-cask,  I  could  read  in  his  countenance  signs  that 
heterodoxy  was  gradually  taking  root  in  him.  At  first 
he  contented  himself  with  remonstrating  against  the 
frequency  of  the  celebration ;  surely  it  ought  to  satisfy 
the  most  devout  member  of  the  sect  to  observe  the 
ceremony  on  Sundays,  and  holy  days.  But  the  troop- 
ers met  his  arguments  with  scriptural  authority  for 
their  practices. 

Then  the  old  gentleman,  finding  his  remonstrances 
of  no  avail,  made  an  assault  upon  the  dogma  itself. 
He  delivered  an  impassioned  address  in  which  he 
sought  to  disprove  the  divinity  of  Jesus.  To  this  blas- 
phemous assertion  the  Magyars  made  reply : 

"If  what  you  say  be  true,  then  He  was  the  son  of 
an  honest  man,  and  a  good  man  Himself.  Therefore, 
it  is  meet  and  right  for  us  to  show  Him  all  honor  and 
respect."  And  another  quarter-cask  was  brought  from 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  31 

the  cellar.  The  old  noble  became  daily  more  fanatical 
in  his  assaults  upon  the  tenets  to  which  he  had  so 
devoutly  adhered  before  the  accession  to  his  little  con- 
gregation of  the  Hungarian  troopers ;  and,  at  last 
declared  that  Jesus  was  a  Jew ;  that  He  deserved  to  be 
put  to  death,  because  He  had  promulgated  the  unjust 
law  of  taxation.  But  not  even  this  fearful  blasphemy 
deterred  the  Hungarians  from  their  frequent  celebra- 
tions. They  said : 

"If  the  Nazarene  is  so  unworthy,  then  it  is  our  plain 
duty  to  shed  His  blood,  the  symbol  of  which  is  wine — " 

"Tremendously  clever  fellows,  those  Magyars!" 
here  interrupted  the  prince. 

"They  were  impious  devils!"  exclaimed  the  mayor 
reprovingly.  "Impious  devils !" 

"Habet  rectum"  responded  his  highness.  Then  to 
the  prisoner :  "Continue,  my  son." 

Hugo  resumed  his  confession : 

When  the  last  cask  was  brought  from  the  cellar  the 
old  noble  declared  to  his  congregation  that  the  entire 
story  of  the  Divine  birth  was  a  myth  invented  by  the 
priests — 

"And  you  took  part  in  those  blasphemous  meet- 
ings?" sternly  interrupted  the  mayor. 

No,  indeed,  your  honor!  That  is  a  crime  of  which 
I  am  guiltless.  I  never  said  one  word ;  and  escaped 
from  the  meetings  whenever  I  could  manage  to  do  so. 
I  had  determined  to  flee  with  Marinka  from  the  sinful 
community.  Our  plan  was:  I  was  to  steal  from  the 
meeting  on  a  certain  night,  assist  my  pretty  Marinka 
to  descend  from  her  room  by  means  of  the  tree  outside 


32  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

her  window  and  then  set  fire  to  the  sheep-stables.  The 
conflagration  would  scatter  the  blasphemers;  every- 
body would  run  to  the  stables  to  release  the  horses, 
and  in  the  general  confusion  Marinka  would  hastily 
secure  as  many  of  the  family  jewels  as  could  be  packed 
into  a  portmanteau.  Then  she  and  I  would  mount 
two  of  the  freed  horses  and  gallop  straightway  to  my 
camp,  where  I  would  introduce  her  as  my  wife — 

"A  pious  idea,  certainly,"  commented  the  prince. 

"How  can  your  highness  say  so !"  in  a  tone  of  re- 
proof, exclaimed  the  mayor.  "It  was  incendiarism 
pure  and  simple :  Incendarii  ambitiosi  comburantur; 
and  further:  raptus  decent  juvencis  puniatur,  and 
rapina  palu  affigatur." 

"Very  well,  then,"  assented  his  highness.  "My  son, 
for  the  incendiarism  you  shall  be  burned  at  the  stake ; 
for  the  rape  of  the  maid  you  shall  pay  a  fine  of  ten 
calves;  for  the  theft  of  the  jewels,  the  punishment  is 
impalement.  Continue." 

Unfortunately,  resumed  the  prisoner,  our  plans 
miscarried,  .through  the  intermeddling  of  the  old 
housekeeper  I  spoke  of.  Her  suspicions  had  been 
aroused  by  Marinka's  preparations  for  flight;  she  in- 
formed the  old  noble,  who  set  spies  to  watch  me.  I 
was  caught  in  the  act  of  firing  the  stables  and  was 
flogged  with  hazel  rods  until  I  confessed  that  I  was  a 
spy  from  the  enemy's  camp.  The  old  noble  wanted 
to  bind  me  to  the  well-sweep;  but  one  of  the  Hun- 
garian troopers  took  compassion  on  me  and  offered 
to  buy  me  for  sixteen  Polish  groschen.  His  offer  was 
accepted ;  I  was  sold  to  him  and  taken  to  Cracow.  I 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  33 

should  not  have  had  such  a  hard  time  as  a  slave  had  I 
not  been  compelled  to  grind  all  the  pepper  used  in  the 
Hungarian  army.  I  ground  enormous  quantities,  for 
the  Magyars  like  all  t'heir  food  strongly  seasoned  with 
the  condiment.  My  eyes  were  red  constantly;  my 
nose  was  swollen  to  the  size  of  a  cucumber.  The  only 
other  complaint  I  had  to  make  was  that  my  master 
compelled  me  to  eat  everything  that  was  set  before  me. 
He  would  say,  when  he  placed  before  me  enough  for 
three  men: 

"You  shall  not  be  able  to  say  that  you  hungered 
while  you  were  my  slave." 

When  I  had  eaten  until  I  could  not  swallow  another 
morsel,  my  master  would  seize  me  by  the  shoulders, 
shake  me  as  one  shakes  a  full  bag  in  order  to  get  more 
into  it,  and  he  would  repeat  the  operation  until  the 
contents  of  every  dish  had  been  emptied  into  me.  I 
used  to  sicken  at  the  approach  of  meal-times,  and 
whenever  I  saw  the  huge  spoon— twice  the  size  of  my 
mouth — with  which  the  food  was  ladled  into  me. 
Your  honors  will  hardly  believe  that  there  is  no  greater 
torture  than  to  be  stuffed  with  food — 

"We  have  never  tried  that  method,"  remarked  the 
prince. 

"Nor  are  we  likely  to  test  it  very  soon,"  supple- 
mented the  mayor,  with  a  grim  expression  on  his  coun- 
tenance. 

I  yearned  to  be  released  from  my  unpleasant  situa- 
tion, resumed  the  prisoner.  For  the  first  time  I 
realized  the  enormity  of  the  transgression  I  had  com- 
mitted in  joining  the  Socinian  Community.  Now  I 


34  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

had  no  one  to  intercede  for  me  with  the  Supreme  Ruler 
of  the  earth.  Had  I  become  a  Mussulman  I  should 
have  had  Mohammed ;  had  I  adopted  the  Jewish  faith 
I  should  have  been  able  to  call  to  my  aid  Abraham,  or 
some  one  of  the  other  fathers  in  Israel.  But  I  had  no 
one.  However,  my  desire  to  be  released  from  the  tor- 
tures of  food-stuffing  and  pepper-grinding  was  at  last 
fulfilled ;  I  was  captured,  together  with  the  entire  Hun- 
garian army,  by  the  Tartars — 

"Hold  !  hold  !"  interrupted  the  chair.  "You  must  not 
tell  untruths.  You  forget  that  you  were  in  Poland. 
The  Tartars  could  not  have  fallen  from  the  sky." 

I  was  about  to  explain  how  they  came  to  be  at 
Cracow  when  your  honor  interrupted  me.  It  was  this 
way:  His  Majesty,  the  Sultan  of  Turkey,  who  had 
become  angry  because  his  vassal,  George  Rakoczy, 
prince  of  Transylvania,  had  presumed  to  aspire  to  the 
crown  of  Poland,  had  commanded  the  khan  of  Crim- 
Tartary  to  attack  the  Hungarians  with  100,000  cavalry. 
The  khan  obeyed.  He  devastated  Transylvania  in  his 
march,  surrounded  the  Hungarian  army  in  Poland  and 
captured  every  man  jack  of  them — 

"The  explanation  is  satisfactory,"  enunciated  the 
prince.  "It  was  easy  enough  for  the  Tartars  to  appear 
at  Cracow." 

Yes,  your  highness ;  but  I  wish  they  hadn't,  con- 
tinued the  accused.  No  one  regretted  it  more  bitterly 
than  did  I.  After  the  capture  of  the  Transylvanian 
army  by  the  Tartars  the  victors  divided  the  spoils  as 
follows :  The  commanding  officers  took  possession  of 
all  the  valuables ;  the  under-officers  took  the  prisoners' 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  35 

horses ;  the  captives  themselves  were  sold  to  the  com- 
mon soldiers,  each  of  whom  bought  as  many  slaves  as 
he  had  money  to  spare. 

My  former  master  was  sold  for  five  groschen;  my 
broad  shoulders  brought  a  higher  price — nine  gros- 
chen. The  same  Tartar — an  ugly,  filthy  little  rascal 
for  whom  I  would  not  have  paid  two  groschen — 
bought  my  master  and  me. 

The  first  thing  our  Tartar  master  did  was  to  strip  us 
of  our  good  clothes  and  put  on  us  his  own  rags.  He 
couldn't  talk  to  us,  as  we  did  not  understand  his  lan- 
guage; but  he  managed  in  a  very  clever  manner  to 
convey  his  meaning  to  us.  He  examined  the  material 
of  which  our  shirts  were  made — the  Hungarian's  was 
of  fine,  mine  of  coarse  homespun  linen,  and  concluded 
that  one  of  us  was  a  man  of  means — the  other  a  poor 
devil. 

Then  he  took  from  his  purse  a  gold  coin,  held  it  in 
his  open  palm  toward  the  Hungarian,  while  with  the 
other  hand  he  hung  a  rope  of  horse-hair  around  his 
captive's  neck.  Then  he  closed  his  fingers  over  the 
coin,  opened  them  again,  at  the  same  time  drawing 
the  rope  more  tightly  about  the  captive's  neck. 

This  pantomime  signified:  "How  many  coins  like 
this  gold  one  will  your  friends  pay  to  ransom  you?" 

The  Hungarian  closed  and  opened  his  fist  ten  times 
to  indicate  "one  hundred." 

The  Tartar  brought  his  teeth  together,  which  was 
meant  to  say,  "not  enough." 

Then  the  Hungarian  indicated  as  before,  "two  hun- 
dred/' whereupon  the  Tartar  placed  the  end  of  the  rope 


36  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

in  the  captive's  hand — he  was  satisfied  with  the  ran- 
som. Then  came  my  turn.  How  much  ransom 
would  be  paid  for  me?  I  shook  my  head  to  indicate 
"nothing ;"  but  in  Tartary,  to  shake  one's  head  means 
consent.  The  little  fellow  smiled,  and  wanted  to  know 
"how  much?" 

Not  knowing  how  else  to  express  my  meaning,  I 
spat  in  his  palm,  which  he  understood.  He  put  the 
gold  coin  back  into  his  purse,  took  out  a  silver  one  and 
held  it  toward  me.  I  treated  it  as  I  had  the  gold  coin. 
Then  he  produced  a  copper  coin ;  but  I  indicated  with 
such  emphasis  that  not  even  so  small  a  sum  would  be 
paid  for  me  that  he  raised  his  whip  and  gave  me  a 
sound  cut  over  the  shoulders.  The  Tartars  then  set  out 
on  their  return  to  Tartary.  My  former  master  and  I 
were  bound  together  and  driven  on  foot  in  front  of  our 
owner. 

How  forcibly  my  sainted  grandmother's  words, 
"He  that  reviles  his  Savior  will  be  turned  into  an  ass," 
came  home  to  me  when  I  was  given  dried  beans  to 
eat — the  sort  we  feed  to  asses  at  home.  Dried  beans 
every  meal,  and  my  Tartar  master  did  not  think  it  nec- 
essary to  stuff  into  me  what  I  could  not  eat.  What 
were  left  at  one  meal  were  served  up  again  the  next. 
Still  more  forcibly  were  my  grandam's  words  im- 
pressed on  my  mind  when,  the  fifth  day  of  our  journey, 
I  became  a  veritable  beast  of  burden.  My  Hungarian 
yoke-fellow  declared  his  feet  were  so  sore  he  could  go 
no  farther.  His  was  certainly  a  weighty  body  to  drag 
over  the  rough  roads,  especially  as  he  had  never  been 
accustomed  to  travel  on  foot  per  pedes  apostolorum. 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  37 

The  little  Tartar  became  alarmed ;  he  feared  he  might 
lose  the  ransom  if  he  left  his  rich  captive  behind,  so 
he  alighted  from  his  horse,  examined  the  Hungarian's 
feet  and  ordered  him  to  get  into  the  saddle.  Then  my 
feet  were  examined,  and  I  imagined  I  too  was  to  be 
given  a  mount.  But  I  was  mistaken.  Before  I  could 
guess  what  he  intended  the  little  Tartar  was  seated 
astride  my  shoulders,  with  his  feet  crossed  over  my 
breast,  and  his  hands  clutching  my  hair  for  reins. 

Luckily  for  me  it  was  a  lean  little  snips,  not  much 
heavier  than  the  soldier's  knapsack  I  was  accustomed 
to  carrying.  It  would  have  been  worse  had  the  Hun- 
garian been  saddled  on  my  shoulders.  That  gentle- 
man was  greatly  amused  by  the  turn  affairs  had  taken, 
and  from  his  seat  on  our  master's  horse  made  all 
manner  of  fun  of  me. 

He  ridiculed  my  prayers,  said  they  were  of  no  avail 
where  the  enemy  was  concerned ;  that  a  hearty  curse 
would  give  me  more  relief.  I  tell  you  he  was  a  master 
of  malediction !  There  was  an  imprecation  he  used  to 
repeat  so  often  that  I  remember  it  to  this  hour.  I  will 
repeat  it  for  you — it  is  in  that  fearful  Magyar  lingo : 
"Tarka  kutya  tarka  magasra  kutyorodott  kaeskaring6s 
farka!"* 

"Hold !"  commanded  the  prince.  "That  sounds  like 
an  incantation." 

"Like  'abraxas/  or  'ablanathanalba;  "  added  the 
mayor,  shuddering.  "We  must  make  a  note  of  it ;  the 


*The  imprecation  is  really  quite  harmless,  as  are  many  other  of 
the  dreadful  things  attributed  to  the  Magyars.  It  is,  literally:  "The 
spotted  dog's  straight  upright  spotted  tail."— Translator's  observa- 
tion. 


38  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

court  astronomer  may,  with  the  assistance  of  the  pro- 
fessors, be  able  to  tell  us  its  portent." 

When  the  notary  had  taken  down  the  imprecation, 
his  highness,  the  prince,  said  to  the  prisoner: 

"Continue,  my  son.  How  long  were  you  compelled 
to  remain  in  that  deplorable  condition  of  slavery?" 

One  day,  resumed  the  accused,  while  I  was 
fervently  praying  that  heaven,  or  Satan,  would  relieve 
me  from  my  ignominious  situation,  we  turned  into  an 
oak  forest.  We  had  hardly  got  well  into  it,  when,  with 
a  fearful  noise,  as  if  heaven  and  earth  were  crashing 
together,  the  huge  trees  came  toppling  over  on  us, 
burying  the  entire  vanguard  of  the  Tartar  horde, 
together  with  their  captives,  under  the  trunks  and 
branches. 

Every  one  of  the  trees  in  the  forest  had  been  sawn 
clear  through  the  trunk,  but  left  standing  upright,  thus 
forming  a  horrible  trap  for  the  Tartars.  The  first  tree 
that  toppled  over,  of  course,  threw  over  the  one  against 
which  it  fell,  that  one  in  turn  throwing  over  the  next 
one,  and  so  on  until  the  entire  wood  was  laid  low. 

My  Tartar  rider  and  I  were  crushed  to  the  earth  by 
the  same  tree.  It  was  fortunate  for  me  that  I  had  him 
on  my  back,  for  he  received  the  full  force  of  the  falling 
tree ;  his  head  was  crushed,  while  mine  was  so  firmly 
wedged  between  his  knees  I  couldn't  move.  The 
horrible  noise  and  confusion  robbed  me  of  my  senses ; 
I  became  unconscious.  It  is,  therefore,  impossible  for 
me  to  tell  how  I  escaped  with  my  life.  I  only  know 
that  when  I  came  to  my  senses  I  found  myself  in  the 
camp  of  the  "Haidemaken,"  a  company  of  thieves  and 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  39 

murderers,  made  up  of  all  nationalities,  the  worst  of 
all  the  robber  bands  that  infested  the  country.  The 
members  were  the  outcasts  of  every  land — the  flower 
of  the  gallows.  When  inflamed  with  wine,  they  fought 
each  other  with  axes ;  settled  all  disputes  with  knife 
and  club.  He  who  had  become  notorious  for  the  worst 
crimes  was  welcomed  to  their  ranks ;  the  boldest,  the 
most  reckless  dare-devil,  became  their  leader.  They 
would  release  condemned  criminals,  often  appearing  as 
if  sprung  from  the  earth  at  the  place  of  execution,  bear 
away  the  miscreants,  who,  naturally,  became  members 
of  the  band. 

Was  a  pretty  woman  condemned  to  the  stake  for 
violation  of  the  marriage  vow  or  for  witchcraft,  the 
haidemaken  would  be  on  hand  before  the  match  was 
applied  to  the  faggots,  and  bear  away  the  fair  culprit. 
In  a  word,  the  haidemaken  were  the  hope,  the  comfort, 
the  providence  of  every  miscreant  that  trembled  in 
shackles. 

The  band  claimed  no  country  as  fatherland.  Every 
wilderness,  every  savage  ravine,  from  the  Matra  moun- 
tains to  the  Volga,  offered  them  a  secure  retreat. 
They  knew  no  laws  save  the  commands  of  their  leader, 
which  were  obeyed  to  the  letter.  None  kept  for  him- 
self his  stealings  ;  all  booty  was  delivered  into  the  hands 
of  the  leader,  who  divided  it  equally  among  the  mem- 
bers of  the  band. 

To  him  who,  through  special  valor,  deserved  special 
reward,  was  given  the  prettiest  woman  rescued  from 
the  stake,  the  dungeon,  the  rack. 

Where    the    haidemaken    set*  up    their    camp,    the 


40  TOhD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

Roman  king,  the  prince  of  Transylvania,  the  Walla- 
chian  woiwode,  the  king  of  Poland,  the  hetman  of  the 
Cossacks,  ruled  only  in  name.  The  leader  of  the 
robbers  alone  was  the  law-giver ;  he  alone  levied  taxes, 
exacted  duties. 

The  trading  caravans  passing  from  Turkey  to 
Warsaw,  if  they  were  wise,  paid  without  a  murmur  the 
duty  levied  by  the  haidemaken,  who  would  then  give 
the  traders  safe  conduct  through  all  the  dangerous 
forests,  over  suspicious  mountain  passes,  so  that  not 
a  hair  of  their  heads  would  be  hurt  or  a  coin  in  their 
purses  touched. 

If,  on  the  other  hand,  the  caravan  leaders  were 
unwise,  they  would  employ  a  military  escort.  Then, 
woe  to  them !  The  robbers  would  lure  them  into 
ambush,  scatter  the  soldiers  and  plunder  the  caravan. 
He  who  resisted  would  be  put  to  death. 

There  was  constant  war  between  certain  nobles  and 
the  robbers.  If  the  band,  however,  could  be  brought 
to  seal  a  compact  of  peace  with  an  individual  or  a 
community,  it  was  kept  sacred,  inviolable,  as  we  shall 
see  later. 

The  haidemaken  never  entered  a  church  unless  they 
desired  to  secure  the  treasures  it  contained.  Yet,  they 
numbered  several  priests  among  their  ranks.  They 
were  such  as  had  been  excommunicated  for  some 
transgression. 

The  band  never  set  out  on  a  predatory  expedition 
without  first  celebrating  mass,  and  receiving  a  blessing 
from  one  of  these  renegades.  If  the  expedition  proved 
to  be  successful,  the  priest  would  share  the  spoils,  and 
dance  with  the  robbers  to  celebrate  the  victory. 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  41 

When  one  of  the  band  took  unto  himself  a  wife,  a 
renegade  would  perform  the  marriage  ceremony.  The 
haidemaken  were  as  great  sticklers  for  form  as  are  the 
members  of  good  society.  To  abduct  a  maid,  or  a 
woman,  was  not  considered  a  crime ;  but  for  one 
member  to  run  away  with  the  wife  of  another  was 
strictly  prohibited. 

They  did  not  erect  strongholds,  for  they  knew  where 
to  hide  in  mountain  caverns  and  in  morasses,  from 
which  no  human  power  could  drive  them. 

In  their  various  retreats  they  had  stores  of  food, 
enough  to  stand  a  siege  for  many  months.  How  great 
was  their  daring  is  best  illustrated  by  the  plot  which 
threw  me  into  their  power.  The  prince  of  Transyl- 
vania had  invaded  Poland  with  an  army  of  20,000 
men.  This  army  was  captured  by  the  Tartar  khan 
with  his  80,000  men.  Four  hundred  of  the  robbers 
laid  in  wait  for  this  combined  force,  and  slaughtered 
the  vanguard  of  2,000  men  in  the  oak  forest,  as  I  have 
described. 

When  I  opened  my  eyes  after  the  catastrophe,  I  was 
lying  on  a  bundle  of  faggots  on  the  bank  of  a  purling 
brook.  By  my  side  stood  a  gigantic  fellow,  with  a 
hideous  red  face — compared  to  him  the  Herr  Mayor, 
there,  is  a  very  St.  Martin! — his  beard  and  eyebrows 
were  also  red,  but  of  a  lighter  shade.  His  nose  was 
cleft  lengthwise — a  sign  that  he  had  had  to  do  with  the 
Russian  administration  of  justice.  He  had  the  muscles 
of  a  St.  Christopher. 

At  a  little  distance  apart  stood  a  group  of  similar 
figures,  but  none  was  so  repulsive  in  appearance  as  the 


42  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

giant  by  my  side.  He  was  leaning  on  his  sword, 
looking  down  at  me,  and  when  he  saw  my  eyes  open 
he  said,  or  rather  bellowed,  for  his  voice  was  more  like 
the  sound  that  comes  from  the  throat  of  a  bull : 

"Well,  young  fellow,  are  you  alive?  Can  you  get 
up  on  your  knees?  If  so,  swear  that  you  will  join  our 
band,  or  I'll  fling  you  out  yonder  whence  I  brought 
you,  to  perish  with  the  rest  of  your  comrades." 

I  had  heard  many  fearful  tales  of  the  dreaded  haide- 
maken,  and  knew  them  to  be  capable  of  any  atrocity. 
Moreover,  I  was  indifferent  as  to  what  became  of  me, 
so  I  said  I  would  join  the  band  if  my  life  were  spared. 

"What  are  you?"  then  asked  the  red  one,  who  was 
the  leader  of  the  band,  "peasant  or  noble?" 

I  was  not  lying  when  I  answered  that  I  was  as  poor 
a  devil  as  ever  caught  flies  to  satisfy  a  craving  for  food. 

"That  is  well,"  returned  the  leader,  "we  have  no 
use  for  nobles  in  our  ranks.  You  shall  stand  the  test 
at  once."  He  blew  a  whistle,  and  two  sturdy  ruffians 
dragged  from  a  cave  nearby  the  loveliest  maid  I  had 
ever  set  eyes  on.  Her  complexion  was  of  milk  and 
roses ;  every  virtue  beamed  in  her  gentle  countenance. 
I  can  see  her  now,  with  her  golden  hair  falling  to  her 
ankles — and  she  was  very  tall  for  a  woman. 

"Now  lad,"  continued  the  leader,  "we  shall  see  how 
you  stand  the  test.  You  are  to  cut  off  this  maid's 
head.  She  is  the  daughter  of  a  noble,  whom  we  stole 
for  a  ransom  ;  and,  as  her  people  have  seen  fit  to  ignore 
our  demands,  she  must  die.  Here,  take  this  sword, 
and  do  as  you  are  bid." 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  43 

He  handed  me  his  sword,  which  was  so  heavy  I 
could  lift  it  only  by  grasping  it  with  both  hands. 

The  maid  knelt  in  the  grass  at  my  feet,  bent  meekly 
forward,  and  parted  her  beautiful  hair  at  the  back  of 
her  snowy  neck,  so  that  I  might  the  more  easily  strike 
the  fatal  blow. 

But  I  didn't  do  anything  of  the  sort ! 

Instead,  I  flung  the  sword  at  the  feet  of  the  leader 
and  cried: 

"Go  to  perdition,  you  red  devil !  You  may  devour 
me  alive — I  won't  harm  a  hair  of  this"  pretty  child's 
head." 

"Ho-ho,"  bellowed  the  red  one,  "you  have  betrayed 
yourself,  my  lad !  Were  you  a  peasant  you  would  cut 
off  the  girl's  head  rather  than  lose  your  own.  You 
are  a  noble — you  would  rather  die  yourself  than  harm 
a  woman.  Very  well ;  so  be  it !  On  your  knees  !  The 
maid  will  show  you  how  to  cut  off  a  head  at  one  blow. 
She  is  my  own  daughter." 

He  handed  the  sword  to  the  maid,  who  had  risen  to 
her  feet  and  was  laughing  at  me.  She  took  the  heavy 
weapon  in  one  hand  and  swung  it  as  lightly  as  if  it 
had  been  a  hazel  rod,  several  times  about  her  head. 
I  have  always  been  fortunate  enough  to  be  able  to 
command  my  feelings,  no  matter  what  the  situation; 
no  matter  how  extreme  the  danger,  I  never  allow 
myself  to  yield  to  fear. 

I  looked  at  the  wonderful  maid  confronting  me  with 
mocking  eyes,  her  white  teeth  gleaming  between  her 
red  lips,  her  beautiful  hair  shining  like  gold. 


44  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

"Kneel !"  she  cried,  stamping  her  foot.  "Kneel  and 
say  your  prayers." 

A  faint-hearted  fellow  would,  most  likely,  have  lost 
courage;  but,  as  I  said  before,  I  had  never  made  the 
acquaintance  of  fear.  So  I  laughed,  and  said :  "I  am 
not  going  to  kneel ;  and  I  am  not  going  to  pray.  I 
don't  want  to  part  with  my  head,  I  have  too  much 
need  of  it  myself."  Then  I  turned  boldly  toward  her 
father,  and  addressed  him :  "Captain,  I  want  to  marry 
your  daughter,"  I  said.  "Let  me  serve  under  you  for 
one  year,  and,  if  at  the  end  of  that  time  I  have  not 
proved  myself  worthy  to  be  your  son-in-law,  you  may 
cut  off  my  head,  and  welcome !" 

The  robber  chief  received  this  daring  speech  with  a 
grin  that  was  like  the  grimace  of  a  hungry  wolf  pre- 
paring to  devour  a  lamb. 

"Fellow,  do  you  know  what  you  ask?"  he  bellowed. 
"The  suitor  for  the  hand  of  my  daughter  is  tortured  to 
death  by  that  hand  if  he  fails  to  perform  the  tasks  she 
sets  for  him." 

"All  right!"  I  returned  jauntily,  "you  needn't  give 
yourself  any  trouble  about  me." 

He  held  out  his  hand ;  I  gave  him  mine,  and  the 
pressure  it  received  in  the  powerful  grasp  was  so 
severe  that  the  blood  spurted  from  under  the  finger- 
nails. But  I  did  not  betray  by  look  or  sign  how  badly 
it  hurt  me.  Nay,  I  even  gave  a  playful  pinch  with  the 
crushed  ringers  to  the  cheek  of  the  golden-haired  maid 
and  received  from  her  in  return  a  sound  slap  on  my 
hand. 

I  could  see  that  my  behavior  won  favor  in  the  eyes 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  45 

of  the  robbers.  But  we  had  little  time  for  merry- 
making. The  main  body  of  the  Tartar  army  now  drew 
near,  and  we  were  face  to  face  with  an  infuriated 
enemy  outnumbering  our  band  a  hundred  to  one. 

In  face  of  the  extreme  danger  which  threatened,  our 
leader  remained  calm.  At  a  signal  from  him,  his  men 
with  lightning  speed  set  fire  in  fifty  different  places  to 
the  fallen  trees,  among  which  a  considerable  number 
of  the  vanguard,  who  had  not  been  crushed  to  death, 
were  hiding. 

Of  course  the  poor  wretches,  Tartars  and  captives 
alike,  were  consumed  in  the  flames ;  we  could  hear 
their  shrieks  of  agony  when  we  were  half  way  up  the 
mountain,  to  which  we  had  made  our  escape. 

The  Tartar  army  not  being  able  to  follow  us, 
because  of  the  burning  forest,  made  our  escape  easy; 
and,  by  the  time  the  trees  had  been  reduced  to  ashes, 
we  were  far  enough  away,  and  in  a  place  of  safety. 

Instead  of  giving  me  weapons  to  carry,  I  was  com- 
pelled to  continue  in  the  role  of  beast  of  burden ;  a 
heavy  bag  of  treasure  was  strapped  on  my  back.  We 
marched  until  the  next  morning.  The  haidemaken 
travelled  only  by  night,  consequently  they  were 
familiar  with  all  roads  and  mountain  passes. 

When  day  broke  we~halted  to  rest  and  partake  of  a 
scanty  meal.  While  we  were  eating,  the  leader  asked 
me  my  name,  and  I  gave  him  the  first  one  that  came 
into  my  head:  "Jaros^aw  Terguko,"  which  was  the 
name  of  Marinka's  father.  If  I  couldn't  steal  any- 
thing else  from  him  I  could  at  least  steal  his  name? 

Late   in   the   afternoon   we   set   out  again   on   our 


46  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

journey,  which  led  us  over  rugged  paths  and  through 
savage  gorges  where  no  signs  of  human  life  were  to 
be  seen.  At  last  we  entered  a  deep  defile  between  two 
mountain  spurs.  The  walls  of  rock  on  either  side 
seemed,  with  their  projections  and  hollows,  as  if  they 
might  once  have  been  joined  together.  They  were 
nearer  together  at  the  top  than  at  the  base,  and  when 
I  looked  up  at  the  narrow  strip  of  sky  far,  far  above 
me,  I  had  a  sensation  as  if  the  two  walls  were  coming 
together.  In  this  almost  inaccessible  defile  was  the 
chief  retreat  of  the  haidemaken.  It  was  a  stronghold 
that  could  successfully  defy  all  human  assaults. 

In  the  south  wall,  about  twenty  yards  from  the  base, 
yawns  the  mouth  of  a  huge  cavern. 

At  that  point  the  wall  is  so  steep,  and  inclines  for- 
ward to  such  a  degree,  that  access  to  the  cavern  can- 
not be  gained  by  means  of  a  ladder.  The  robbers, 
however,  had  contrived  a  clever  hoisting  apparatus. 

From  the  top  of  the  opposite  wall  a  mountain  brook 
had  once  leaped  into  the  defile,  to  continue  its  way 
over  the  rocky  bed  into  the  valley. 

When  the  haidemaken  first  established  themselves 
in  the  cavern,  it  happened  frequently  that  they  would 
be  blockaded  in  their  retreat  by  the  nobles  and  their 
followers,  who  had  pursued  the  predatory  band  to  the 
defile. 

At  such  times  the  robbers  suffered  greatly  from  the 
scarcity  of  fresh  water,  especially  if  they  chanced  to  be 
out  of  wine.  Therefore,  they  conceived  the  plan  of 
conducting  the  brook  from  the  opposing  wall  into  the 
cavern  through  a  stout  oaken  gutter,  and  the  water  at 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  47 

the  same  time  served  to  turn  a  series  of  wheels.  Over 
one  of  the  wheels  ran  a  stout  iron  chain,  to  which  were 
securely  attached  several  large  baskets ;  and  so  skill- 
fully was  the  apparatus  manipulated  that  the  entire 
band  might  be  hoisted  into,  or  let  down  from,  the 
cavern  in  the  short  space  of  two  hours.  It  was  a  most 
admirable  contrivance  for  the  robbers,  but  not  so 
admirable  for  the  dwellers  in  the  valley.  The  inter- 
cepted brook  now  flowed  into  the  cave,  and,  as  the 
water  did  not  fill  the  cave,  the  most  natural  conclusion 
was  that  it  found  an  outlet  through  various  subter- 
ranean fissures. 

The  turning  of  the  water  from  its  original  channel 
caused  Prince  Siniarsky  considerable  inconvenience, 
in  that  all  his  saw-mills,  flour-mills  and  leather  factory 
were  left  without  a  motor ;  while  the  inhabitants  of  the 
surrounding  hamlets,  who  were  dependent  on  their 
looms  for  a  livelihood,  were  compelled  to  remove  to 
another  region,  because  they  now  were  unable  to 
bleach  the  linen. 

Still  greater  was  the  misfortune  which  had  over- 
taken Count  Potocky.  He  was  the  owner  of  extensive 
salt  mines  on  the  further  side  of  the  mountain,  which 
contains  an  illimitable  deposit  of  the  saliferous  sub- 
stance. The  haidemaken  were  unable  to  drink  the 
water  of  the  lakelet  in  the  bottom  of  their  cavern, 
.because  of  its  saline  character. 

After  the  course  of  the  brook  had  been  changed,  the 
worthy  Count  Potocky  discovered  one  day  that  innu- 
merable springs  of  fresh  water  were  bursting  from  his 
side  of  the  mountain,  and  flooding  his  most  profitable 


48  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

mines.  If  he  attempted  to  obstruct  the  flow  of  water 
in  one  place  it  would  break  out  in  another. 

At  last  the  two  magnates  discovered  the  cause  of  the 
mischief,  and  determined  to  oust  the  thievish  haide- 
maken  from  their  retreat  by  fumigation.  So  long  as 
the  band  confined  their  depredations  to  the  trading 
caravans  they  might  be  tolerated;  but,  when  they 
became  insolent  enough  to  interfere  with  the  comfort 
and  convenience  of  the  magnates,  it  was  high  time  to 
put  a  stop  to  their  pestiferous  conduct ! 

And  so  an  expedition  against  the  cavern  was 
planned.  Before  it  could  be  carried  out  the  war 
against  the  Transylvanians  and  Swedes  broke  out,  and 
the  noble  gentlemen  were  compelled  to  march  with 
their  followers  toward  the  invaders;  but  when  hostili- 
ties ceased  and  the  succoring  Tartars  had  returned 
home,  a  formal  blockade  of  the  robbers  was  consti- 
tuted. 

The  entrance  to  their  cavern,  which  is  about  as  large 
as  the  door  of  the  cathedral  at  Coblentz,  was  fortified 
by  a  double  parapet  furnished  with  loop-holes.  The 
intercepted  brook  did  not  pour  its  waters  into  the  main 
entrance,  but  into  a  side  opening,  underneath  which 
was  the  hoisting  wheel.  This  wheel  also  turned  the 
mill-stone,  which  ground  the  rye  used  by  the  robbers. 

The  band  included  a  miller  as  well  as  a  smith,  a 
shoemaker  and  a  tailor.  As  it  is  dark  in  the  cave,  all 
work  was  performed  by  torchlight.  Where  all  the 
torches  used  in  the  cavern  were  procured  I  learned 
afterward. 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  49 

The  fore  part  of  the  cavern,  into  which  the  rays  of 
the  blessed  sun  penetrate  as  far  as  the  opposite  wall 
permits,  is  like  a  vaulted  hall.  In  it  were  stored  the 
weapons :  all  manner  of  fire-arms,  all  patterns  of  cut- 
ting, thrusting  and  hurling  implements,  which  had 
been  purloined  from  the  armories  of  noble  castles. 
Here,  for  the  first  time,  I  saw  an  old-time  culverin, 
rusty  with  age  and  for  want  of  care.  In  this  part  of 
the  cavern  were  stored  also  the  provisions  in  huge 
stone  receptacles — enough  to  feed  four  hundred  men 
during  a  long  siege. 

From  the  provision  chamber  a  low,  narrow  passage 
leads  to  the  mill-cave,  but,  as  I  never  entered  it,  I 
cannot  tell  you  just  what  it  contained. 

The  main  cavern  is  spacious  as  a  church.  When  the 
entire  band  were  assembled  in  the  vast  hall  they  were 
as  lost  in  it.  The  arched  roof  is  so  high  above  the 
floor  it  is  invisible  in  the  gloom,  which  not  even  the 
light  of  many  torches  can  dispel. 

From  this  hall  numerous  narrow  passages  and 
corridors  lead  to  smaller  caves,  in  which  the  artisans 
of  the  band  performed  their  labors.  These  unfortu- 
nates certainly  must  have  been  captives ;  for  it  is 
hardly  possible  that  any  man  would,  of  his  own  free 
will,  consent  to  pass  his  life  toiling  in  so  gloomy  a 
hole.  When  we  arrived  at  the  cavern  the  leader  asked 
me  if  I  had  a  trade,  and,  as  I  could  truthfully  reply  that 
the  only  one  I  was  perfectly  familiar  with  was  that  of 
bombardier,  I  did  so. 

"Very  good ;  you  shall  soon  have  an  opportunity  to 
prove  that  you  understand  your  trade  as  thoroughly  as 


50  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

you  say,"  he  growled.  "It  is  not  safe  to  boast  here,  my 
lad,  and  not  be  able  to  perform — as  you  shall  soon 
learn." 

Meanwhile  the  robbers  had  hoisted  to  the  cavern  the 
booty  taken  from  the  Tartars.  It  was  stored  in  one  of 
the  smaller  chambers,  into  which  I  merely  got  a 
glimpse,  as  they  rolled  the  huge  slab  of  granite  from 
the  entrance,  but  that  fleeting  glance  was  enough  to 
dazzle  my  eyes.  There  were  heaps  on  heaps  of  costly 
articles :  robes,  mantles,  vestments,  richly  embroidered 
with  gold  and  precious  gems,  gold  and  silver  chalices, 
shrines,  ciboria,  pastoral  staffs,  and  a  host  of  valuables 
too  numerous  to  remember.  Had  the  haidemaken 
only  decided  to  disband  then,  every  one  of  them  would 
have  received  a  fortune  as  his  share  of  .the  plunder. 

It  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  that  such  stores  of  gold 
and  silver  had  accumulated.  The  robbers  never  had 
occasion  to  need  money. 

The  provision  chamber  was  rilled  with  food  and 
drink.  Such  quantities  of  meat  and  bread  were  served 
that  every  man  had  all  he  wanted  to  eat,  while  casks  of 
metheglin  were  constantly  on  tap. 

The  secret  of  this  inexhaustible  food  supply  was 
known  only  to  the  leader  and  his  daughter.  No  matter 
how  much  was  taken  from  the  provision  chamber,  no 
decrease  was  ever  noticeable. 

The  first  evening  of  our  return,  the  successful  expe- 
dition was  celebrated  by  a  feast.  After  the  robbers  had 
eaten  their  fill,  they  lighted  a  huge  fire  and  danced 
wildly  around  it ;  and  when  they  had  drunk  all  they 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  51 

wanted,  they  gathered  about  their  leader  and  his 
daughter,  who  had  taken  their  seats  on  an  estrade 
draped  with  purple  cloth. 

Then  a  pale-faced  young  man  was  dragged  into  the 
hall  and  placed  in  front  of  the  leader. 

I  saw  now  that  a  sort  of  trial  was  about  to  be  held, 
a  singular  tribunal,  where  the  judge  and  the  jury  first 
get  tipsy ! 

"Jurko,"  said  the  leader  to  the  youth,  "you  are 
accused  of  cowardice — of  having  run  away  at  the 
approach  of  the  enemy;  also,  of  having  neglected  to 
give  warning  of  the  coming  of  the  Tartars." 

"I  am  not  guilty,"  responded  the  youth  in  defence. 
"You  placed  me  on  guard  to  watch  for  the  Tartars. 
Instead  of  the  Tartars  came  wolves.  Ten  of  the 
beasts  attacked  me — maybe  there  were  fifty.  If  I  had 
allowed  the  wolves  to  eat  me,  how  could  I  have 
signaled  to  you?  I  didn't  run  away — I  hid  in  a  hollow 
tree  to  defend  myself — one  against  fifty!  I  call  that 
brave,  not  cowardly." 

"Silly  chatter!"  bellowed  the  leader.  "No  matter 
what  happened,  you  should  have  obeyed  the  command 
of  your  leader.  If  you  are  not  the  coward  you  are 
accused  of  being,  then  prove  it  by  standing  the  test." 

"That  I  will!"  cried  the  youth,  striking  his  breast 
with  his  fist. 

The  leader  rose,  took  his  daughter's  hand,  stepped 
down  from  the  estrade,  and,  bidding  his  comrades 
follow,  moved  with  the  maid  toward  the  rear  of  the 
cavern,  which,  until  now,  had  been  buried  in  midnight 
gloom. 


52  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

Here  the  ground  slopes  steeply  downward,  and  I 
could  see  by  the  light  of  the  torches  that  we  were  on 
the  verge  of  an  abyss,  at  the  bottom  of  which  was 
water. 

The  leader  held  a  wisp  of  straw  to  a  torch,  then 
tossed  it  into  the  abyss,  which  was  lighted  for  a  few 
seconds  by  the  circling  wreath  of  blazing  straw ;  but  it 
was  quite  long  enough  for  me  to  see  the  terrible 
grandeur  of  the  yawning  gulf. 

After  tossing  the  straw  into  the  abyss,  the  leader 
snatched  the  red  and  yellow  striped  silken  kerchief 
from  his  daughter's  neck,  leaving  the  lovely  snow- 
white  shoulders  and  bosom  uncovered,  and  flung  it 
also  into  the  abyss. 

"There,  Jurko,"  he  cried,  "you  have  often  boasted 
that  you  are  the  bravest  of  our  band,  and  you  have 
aspired  to  the  hand  of  my  daughter  Madus.  If  you  are 
what  you  pretend  to  be,  fetch  the  bride's  kerchief  from 
the  lake  down  yonder." 

The  youth  stepped  boldly  enough  to  the  rim  of  the 
yawning  gulf,  and  every  one  believed  he  was  going  to 
dive  into  it.  But  he  halted  on  the  edge,  leaned  for- 
ward and  peered  down  at  the  water  far  below.  After 
a  moment's  survey,  he  drew  back,  rubbed  his  ear  with 
his  ringers  and  made  a  wry  face. 

"Why  don't  you  jump?"  cried  his  comrades,  taunt- 
ingly. 

Jurko  cautiously  thrust  one  leg  over  the  edge,  bent 
forward  and  took  another  look ;  then  he  drew  back  his 
leg  and  rose  to  his  feet. 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  53 

"The  devil  may  jump  into  this  hell  for  me!"  he 
exclaimed ;  "there's  no  getting  out  of  it  again  for  him 
who  is  fool  enough  to  enter  it !" 

"Ho,  coward !  coward !"  derisively  shouted  his  com- 
rades, rushing  upon  him.  They  disarmed  him  and 
dragged  him  by  the  hair  toward  a  cleft  in  the  wall  of 
the  cavern,  wide  enough  only  to  admit  the  body  of  a 
man.  This  opening  was  closed  by  a  block  of  granite 
that  required  the  combined  strength  of  six  men  to 
move  it.  A  lighted  candle  was  placed  in  the  trembling 
youth's  hand ;  then  he  was  thrust  into  the  rock-tomb, 
and  the  granite  door  moved  back  to  its  place.  The 
wild  laughter  of  his  comrades  drowned  the  shrieks  of 
the  victim  who  had  been  buried  alive. 

Then  followed  the  "dance  of  death,"  and  I  never  wit- 
nessed anything  more  terrifying.  The  lovely  Madus 
feigned  death  and  looked  it,  too!  and  every  member 
had  to  dance  a  turn  with  her.  When  it  came  my  turn, 
the  leader  said  to  me : 

"Hold,  lad,  you  may  not  dance  with  Madus  until 
you  have  become  really  one  of  us — until  you  have 
stood  the  test.  Moreover,  you,  too,  presume  to  aspire 
to  the  hand  of  my  daughter." 

"Yes,  I  do !"  I  replied,  "and  I  will  do  whatever  I  am 
bid." 

"Very  good;  the  bride's  kerchief  lies  down  yonder 
in  the  lake ;  let  us  see  if  you  are  courageous  enough  to 
go  after  it." 

"You  surely  did  not  undertake  so  foolhardy  a  task?" 
here  interrupted  the  prince ;  and  the  chair  dictated  to 
the  notary  as  follows : 


54  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

"Sinful  tempting  of  providence,  prompted  by  crimi- 
nal desire  for  an  impure  female.'' 

"Yes,  your  highness,  I  performed  the  task,"  con- 
tinued Hugo,  "but  I  beg  your  honors  not  to  register 
the  leap  as  an  additional  transgression.  I  am  not 
responsible  for  it.  I  was  compelled  to  jump  or  be 
buried  alive  in  the  wall  of  the  cavern.  Besides,  I  knew 
the  danger  was  not  so  great  as  it  appeared.  When  a 
boy,  I  once  visited  a  salt  mine.  I  had  seen  by  the  light 
of  the  blazing  straw  that  the  walls  of  the  abyss  were 
formed  of  the  dark  blue  strata  peculiar  to  salt  mines, 
and  guessed  that  the  lake  was  strongly  impregnated 
with  salt.  I  had  also  noticed  on  the  further  wall  of  the 
abyss  a  flight  of  steps  hewn  in  the  rock,  and  concluded 
that  I  had  nothing  to  fear  from  drowning  in  the 
buoyant  water,  if  I  reached  it  in  safety.  But,  before  I 
proceed  farther,  I  desire  to  enter  a  formal  protest 
against  the  chair's  designating  my  beloved  Madus  an 
'impure  female.'  She  was  pure  and  innocent — an 
angel  on  earth,  a  saint  in  heaven.  He  that  defames 
her  must  do  battle  with  me — my  adversary  in  coat  of 
mail,  I  in  doublet  of  silk.  The  weapons:  lances, 
swords,  or  maces — whatever  he  may  select ;  and  I 
positively  refuse  to  proceed  with  my  confession  until 
his  honor,  the  mayor,  has  given  me  satisfaction,  or 
amended  the  protocol." 

"Well,  mayor,"  said  the  prince,  addressing  the  chair, 
"I  think  the  prisoner  is  justified  in  his  protest.  Either 
you  must  amend  the  protocol,  or  fight  him." 

The  former  expedient  was  chosen,  and  the  notary 
erased  the  latter  clause  of  the  protocol.  It  read,  when 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  55 

corrected :  "Sinful  temptation  of  providence  by  chaste 
affection  for  a  respectable  maid." 

"Now,  my  son,  you  may  jump." 

Hugo  thanked  the  prince  and  resumed  his  confes- 
sion : 

I  pressed  my  ankles  together,  bent  forward,  and 
sprang,  head  foremost,  into  the  abyss.  As  I  sped 
swiftly  downward,  there  was  a  sound  like  swelling 
thunder  in  my  ears,  then  I  became  stone  deaf,  and  the 
water  closed  over  me.  My  eyes  and  mouth  told  me  it 
was  salt  water,  and  whatever  apprehension  T  had  had 
vanished.  The  next  moment  I  was  floating  on  the 
surface,  my  head  and  shoulders  above  the  water.  I 
soon  found  the  kerchief,  which  I  tied  about  my  neck, 
amid  the  acclamations  and  cheers  of  my  comrades, 
which  were  multiplied  by  the  echoing  walls  to  the 
most  infernal  roaring.  The  torches  held  over  the 
mouth  of  the  abyss  gleamed  through  the  darkness  like 
a  blood-red  star  in  the  firmament  of  hades. 

A  few  vigorous  strokes  propelled  me  to  the  steps 
leading  from  the  lake  to  the  upper  gallery  of  the  abyss, 
which  is  really  an  abandoned  salt  mine. 

There  are  one  hundred  and  eighty  steps,  but  by 
taking  two  at  a  time  I  reduced  them  to  ninety;  and 
three  minutes  after  I  had  taken  my  leap,  I  stood, 
encrusted  from  head  to  foot  with  salt — like  a  powdered 
imp ! — before  my  blushing  Madus. 

She  received  me  with  a  bashful  smile  when  the  rob- 
bers carried  me  on  their  shoulders  to  her,  and  I  was 
about  to  kiss  her,  when  the  leader  seized  me  by  the 
collar  and  drew  me  back. 


56  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

"Not  yet,  lad,  not  yet !"  he  cried.  "You  have  only 
been  through  the  christening  ceremony.  Confirma- 
tion comes  next.  You  must  become  a  member  of  our 
faith  before  you  can  become  my  daughter's  husband. 
Every  man  that  marries  a  princess  must  adopt  her  be- 
lief." 

Now,  as  your  honors  may  have  guessed,  the  ques- 
tion of  religion  was  one  I  did  not  require  much  time  to 
answer.  I  consented  without  a  moment's  hesitation 
to  adopt  my  Madus'  faith.  The  leader  then  signed  to 
one  of  the  band  to  prepare  for  the  ceremony  of  confir- 
mation. It  was  one  of  the  priests  of  whom  I  have 
spoken — I  had  taken  particular  notice  of  him  during 
the  feast,  because  he  ate  and  drank  more  than  any  one 
else. 

"He  that  becomes  a  member  of  our  society" — the 
leader  informed  me — "must  take  a  different  name  from 
the  one  he  has  borne  elsewhere.  I  am  called 
'Nyedzviedz,'  which  signifies  either  'the  bear,'  or 
'without  equal.'  What  name  shall  we  give  you?" 

Some  one  suggested  that,  as  I  was  an  expert  swim- 
mer, I  should  be  called  "Szczustak"  (perch) ;  another 
thought  "Lyabedz"  (swan),  more  suitable  and  prettier, 
but  I  told  them  that,  as  I  excelled  most  in  hurling 
bombs,  "Baran"  (ram),  would  be  still  more  appropri- 
ate ;  and  Baran  it  was  decided  I  should  be  called. 

In  the  meantime  the  robber  priest  had  donned  his 
vestments.  On  his  plentifully  oiled  hair  rested  a  tall, 
gold-embroidered  hat;  over  his  coarse  peasant  coat 
he  had  drawn  a  richly  decorated  cassock ;  his  feet  were 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  57 

thrust  into  a  pair  of  slippers,  also  handsomely  embroid- 
ered— relics,  obviously,  of  some  gigantic  saint ;  for  the 
robber  priest's  feet,  from  which  he  had  not  removed  his 
boots,  were  quite  hidden  in  them.  In  his  hands  he 
held  a  silver  crucifix;  and  as  I  looked  at  him,  the 
thought  came  to  me  that  he  had,  without  a  doubt, 
made  way  with  the  original  wearer  and  bearer  of  the 
rich  vestments,  and  the  crucifix. 

He  ordered  me  to  kneel  before  him.  I  did  so,  and 
he  began  to  perform  all  sorts  of  hocus-pocus  over 
me.  I  couldn't  understand  a  word  of  it,  for  he  spoke 
in  Greek,  and  I  had  not  yet  become  familiar  with  that 
language.  I  learned  it  later. 

After  mumbling  over  me  for  several  minutes,  he 
smeared  some  ill-smelling  ointment  on  my  nose ;  then 
he  fumigated  me  with  incense  until  I  was  almost  suffo- 
cated. In  concluding,  when  he  bestowed  on  me  my 
new  name,  he  gave  me  such  a  vigorous  box  on  the 
ear,  that  it  rang  for  several  seconds,  and  I  almost  fell 
backward.  The  blow  was  not  given  with  the  hand  of 
the  priest,  but  with  the  sturdy  fist  of  the  robber. 

This  is  carrying  the  joke  too  far,  I  said  to  myself; 
and,  before  the  ruffian  could  guess  what  I  intended,  I 
was  on  my  feet,  and  had  delivered  a  right-hander  on 
the  side  of  his  head  that  sent  his  gold  hat  spinning 
across  the  floor,  and  himself,  and  his  slippers  after  it. 

"Actus  major  is  potentiae  contra  ecclesiastic  am  per- 
sonam!"  dictated  the  mayor  to  the  notary;  while  his 
highness,  the  prince,  held  his  stomach,  and  laughed 
until  the  tears  ran  down  his  cheeks. 


58  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

"I  should  like  to  have  seen  that  performance!"  he 
exclaimed  when  he  had  got  his  breath  again.  "Did 
the  padre  excommunicate  you?" 

Not  much,  he  didn't,  your  highness!  From  that 
moment  I  became  a  person  of  consequence  among  the 
haidemaken.  The  leader  slapped  me  heartily  on  the 
shoulder,  and  said  approvingly : 

"You're  the  right  sort,  lad — we  need  no  further 
proof." 

After  a  bumper  all  'round,  to  celebrate  my  entrance 
to  the  community,  every  man  wrapped  himself  in  his 
bear-skin,  and  lay  down  on  the  floor  of  the  cavern. 
Although  the  torches  had  been  extinguished  I  could 
see,  by  the  faint  light  which  penetrated  from  the 
entrance,  that  Madus  ascended  a  rope  ladder  to  a  deep 
hollow  high  up  in  the  wall,  and  drew  the  ladder  up 
after  her. 

In  a  very  few  minutes  the  snores  from  the  four 
hundred  robbers  proclaimed  them  oblivious  to  this 
work-a-day  world. 

At  day-break  the  watchman's  horn  brought  every 
man  to  his  feet ;  at  the  same  moment  the  leader 
appeared  from  an  adjoining  chamber,  and  gave  to  each 
one  his  task  for  the  day. 

After  we  had  breakfasted,  Nyedzviedz  conducted 
me,  in  company  with  Madus  and  several  of  the  band, 
to  the  armory. 

"Here  Baran,"  he  said, — thrusting  his  foot  against 
the  culverin  I  mentioned  before — "you  claim  to  be  a 
skilled  bombardier.  Let  us  see  if  you  understand  how 
to  manage  a  thing  like  this.  We  stole  it  from  Count 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  59 

Potocky's  castle,  and  brought  it  here  with  great  diffi- 
culty. Sixteen  men  would  carry  it  two  hundred  steps, 
then  other  sixteen  would  relieve  them,  and  so  on.  We 
didn't  find  out  until  we  had  got  it  up  here  that  it  would 
be  of  no  use  to  us.  The  first  time  we  tried  to  fire  it 
off — it  lay  oil  the  ground  as  now — four  men  sat  astride 
of  it,  as  on  a  horse,  to  steady  it.  I,  myself,  directed  the 
shot  toward  the  mouth  of  the  cavern,  and  three  men 
stood  behind  me  to  observe  operations.  When  I 
applied  the  fuse,  the  infernal  thing  sprang  into  the  air 
flinging  the  four  men  astride  it  to  the  roof  of  the  cave ; 
while  the  ball,  instead  of  going  where  I  had  aimed — 
out  of  the  entrance — imbedded  itself  in  the  wall  over 
yonder,  where  it  still  sticks." 

I  laughed  heartily  at  his  amusing  description  of  the 
gun's  behavior ;  whereupon  he  said  soberly : 

"Oh,  you  may  laugh,  but  it  was  no  laughing  matter 
I  can  tell  you !  I  made  a  second  attempt.  I  tied  a 
rope  around  the  rascal's  neck  to  prevent  him  from 
kicking  again,  and  fastened  the  ends  securely  to  two 
stout  pegs  driven  into  the  ground.  'There,  sir,'  I  said, 
'now  kick  if  you  want  to!'  I  lighted  the  fuse — the 
demon  didn't  kick  this  time;  instead  he  rushed  back- 
ward dragging  both  pegs  with  him ;  broke  the  right 
leg  of  one  of  the  men,  the  left  of  another,  and  both  legs 
of  the  third ;  and  the  ball  bored  itself  into  the  corner 
over  there.  Now  let  us  see  if  you  can  do  any  better." 

"Oh,  you  stupid  bear!"  I  exclaimed,  unable  to  re- 
strain my  mirth,  "you  may  thank  your  stars  that  the 
rusty  old  gun  didn't  burst  into  flinders  and  kill  every 
one  of  you ! — as  you  deserved !  The  first  thing  to  be 


60  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD, 

done  with  the  culverin  is  to  clean  and  polish  it  until 
it  shines  like  a  mirror.  Then — who  ever  heard  of 
laying  a  cannon  on  the  ground  to  fire  it  off? — it  must 
have  a  sort  of  platform  on  wheels  so  it  can  be  moved 
about." 

The  leader  immediately  gave  orders  to  the  smith  and 
the  wagon-maker  of  the  band  to  obey  my  instructions 
and  complete  as  quickly  as  possible  the  sort  of  gun- 
carriage  I  should  describe  to  them,  and  I  set  about  at 
once  to  clean  and  scour  the  old  culverin  which,  with 
the  accumulated  rust  of  years,  was  no  light  task. 

There  was  no  time  to  lose,  for  the  Tartars,  with  their 
Hungarian  captives,  having  vacated  Poland,  the 
Polish  magnates  returned  to  their  castles,  and  prepared 
to  carry  out  the  plans  for  punishing  the  insolent  haide- 
maken,  which  had  been  interrupted  by  the  war.  Those 
members  of  the  band  who  were  sent  on  various  errands 
into  the  regions  adjacent  to  the  Prsjaka  Gorge, 
brought  back,  instead  of  booty,  bloody  heads,  and  the 
startling  news  that  the  roads  leading  to  the  Gorge 
were  filled  with  armed  troopers. 

The  two  despoiled  magnates  had  combined  their 
forces,  and  were  prepared  for  a  regular  siege  of  the 
plundering  haidemaken. 

The  latter,  however,  merely  laughed  at  the  warlike 
preparations.  They  were  not  afraid  of  a  siege! 
Nyedzviedz,  on  learning  of  the  approach  of  the  beleag- 
uerers,  instead  of  curtailing  our  rations,,  doubled  them, 
mystifying  all  of  us  by  the  seemingly  illimitable  sup- 
plies in  the  provision  chamber.  We  received,  every 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  61 

day,  double  rations  of  fresh  goats'  meat  and  mutton, 
and  yet  there  was  not  in  any  of  the  caves  even  the 
sign  of  a  living  animal. 

Meanwhile  the  beleaguerers  advanced  steadily. 

There  was  a  stratagem  the  robbers  had  frequently 
resorted  to  in  order  to  vanquish  a  beleaguering  foe. 
They  opened  an  underground  sluice  through  which 
the  water  of  the  salt  lake  in  the  bottom  of  the  abyss 
would  rush  into  the  defile  and  drown  the  enemy.  But 
Prince  Siniarsky's  troopers  had  become  familiar  with 
this  trick ;  and  one  morning,  when  we  awoke,  we  found 
that  a  stone  wall  had  been  built  across  the  gorge  while 
we  slept.  An  arched  opening  in  the  center  of  the  base 
would  give  egress  to  all  the  water  we  might  choose 
to  let  out  of  the  lake. 

This  was  bad  enough,  but  worse  came  later. 

The  wall  increased  in  height  every  night.  I  told 
Nyedzviedz  at  the  beginning  what  would  be  the  out- 
come of  such  a  proceeding;  when  the  top  of  the  wall 
should  have  reached  to  the  height  of  the  wooden  gutter 
which  conveyed  the  brook  into  the  cavern,  Siniarsky's 
men  would  fling  a  line  over  it,  attach  a  stout  chain  to 
the  line,  and  when  they  had  drawn  it  over  the  gutter 
it  would  be  easy  enough  to  pull  it  down. 

"In  that  case  we  shall  die  of  thirst,"  growled  the 
leader,  "for  there  isn't  any  other  water  in  the  cavern 
fit  to  drink.  But  a  still  greater  danger,  of  which  you 
know  nothing,  threatens  us." 

He  did  not  tell  me  what  it  was,  but  he  became  so 
morose  and  ill-tempered,  that  no  one  but  his  daughter 
ventured  to  speak  to  him. 


62  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

The  haidemaken  made  several  assaults  on  the  wall, 
but  the  troopers  returned  the  fire  with  such  volleys 
from  the  numerous  loop-holes  in  it,  that  our  men  were 
always  forced  to  retreat. 

All  hopes  were  now  centered  in  me,  and  on  the 
culverin,  which  I  had  polished  until  it  shone  like  gold. 
The  carriage  for  it  had  been  completed,  and  balls  cast 
under  my  directions. 

The  wall  grew  higher  and  higher,  until  at  last  the 
top  was  on  a  level  with  our  conduit.  Its  comple- 
tion was  celebrated  in  the  enemy's  camp  by  the  blaring 
of  trumpets,  and  beating  of  drums,  and  what  I  had 
foretold  came  to  pass ;  the  arquebusier  mounted  to  the 
top  of  the  wall,  adjusted  his  arquebuse  on  its  forked 
rest,  and  prepared  to  take  aim  at  our  water  conduit. 

"Now,  watch  me  I"  said  I  to  Nyedzviedz,  pointing 
the  culverin's  muzzle  toward  the  cornice  of  the  wall. 

Two  shots  sounded  simultaneously,  and  when  the 
smoke  had  cleared  away,  there  was  neither  arquebuse, 
nor  arquebusier — nor  yet  the  cornice  of  the  wall,  to  be 
seen.  All  three  had  vanished. 

I  took  aim  a  second  time — this  time  at  the  base  of 
the  wall ;  and  at  the  sixth  shot,  the  entire  structure  of 
solid  masonry  tumbled  down  with  a  deafening  crash, 
burying  under  it  the  musketeers  who  were  at  the  loop- 
holes. Not  one  of  them  escaped  alive. 

The  haidemaken,  with  loud  cries  of  triumph,  now 
hastily  descended  from  the  cavern  in  their  baskets,  and 
flung  themselves  on  the  enemy,  and  while  the  combat 
raged  in  the  defile  below  me,  I  wheeled  my  culverin  to 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  63 

the  mouth  of  the  cavern,  and  hurled  shot  after  shot 
toward  the  troopers  who  were  hurrying  to  the  aid  of 
their  comrades. 

The  enemy  was  completely  routed,  and  our  men 
returned  to  the  cavern  richly  laden  with  spoils. 

,  So  all-powerful  is  a  cannon  when  its  management  is 
thoroughly  understood. 

"That  will  do  for  today;"  at  this  point  observed 
the  prince.  "The  confession  will  be  continued  to- 


THE  VISZPA  OGROD. 

The  next  morning  Hugo  resumed  his  confession: 

When  the  haidemaken,  after  having  put  to  flight  the 
troopers  returned  with  their  booty  to  the  cavern,  the 
leader  said  to  me: 

"Well,  Baran,  you  certainly  earned  your  name 
today,  by  proving  yourself  a  most  effective  'ram.'  To 
your  assaults  with  the  culverin  we  owe  our  victory. 
Here  is  the  treasure  we  took  from  the  vanquished  foe — 
take  of  it  what  you  want,  you  have  the  first  choice." 
Gold  and  silver  galore  lay  before  me,  but  I  answered : 
"Thank  you,  Nyedzviedz,  you  know  very  well  I  have 
no  use  for  money ;  instead,  I  want  your  daughter — for 
her  alone  I  have  served  you ;  she  is  the  reward  I 
desire." 

To  this  reply  the  leader  shook  his  head  irritably,  and 
said:  "I  am  disappointed  in  you,  Baran.  You  are, 
after  all,  only  a  tender-hearted  dove  that  wants  to  bill 
and  coo.  The  man  who  has  a  wife  is  only  half  a  man. 
The  true  haidemak  embraces  his  sweetheart,  then  slays 


64  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

her — of  better :  slays  her  first.  Why  do  you  desire  to 
marry?  Be  wise,  lad,  and  remain  a  celibate.  If  you 
will  think  no  more  of  Madus  I  will  make  you  my 
second  in  command." 

"But  I  can't,  and  won't  think  of  anything  but 
Madus,"  I  returned,  stubbornly;  "and  if  you  don't 
give  her  to  me,  you  are  not  a  man  of  your  word. 

"You  don't  know  what  you  are  asking,  Baran," 
again  said  the  leader.  "If  you  persist  in  your  demand 
you  will  compel  me  to  send  you  the  way  all  our  mem- 
bers have  gone  who  proved  themselves  to  be  soft- 
hearted doves.  The  man  who  wants  to  bill  and  coo 
cannot  remain  with  us.  If  you  marry  Madus  you  must 
leave  us." 

I  told  him  I  would  manage  somehow  to  endure  such 
a  calamity,  which  made  him  laugh  heartily. 

"I  know  very  well,  Baran,  my  lad,  that  it  would  not 
grieve  you  to  leave  us,  if  you  were  allowed  to  depart 
with  Madus  to  the  outside  world.  But  that  may  not 
be.  The  man  we  pronounce  a  'dove,'  must  go  a  differ- 
ent route.  The  youth  who  refused  to  leap  into  the 
abyss  the  day  you  arrived,  was  a  dove.  You  saw  what 
became  of  him.  A  hundred  and  more  love-lorn 
swains,  and  cowards  have  gone  the  same  way.  You 
will  find  in  every  crevice  the  skeletons  of  the  unfortu- 
nates. Do  you  still  desire  to  join  the  ghastly  com- 
pany?" 

It  did  not  sound  very  alluring — to  celebrate  one's 
nuptials  among  cadavers;  but  when  I  looked  at 
Madus,  who  was  standing  by  her  father's  side,  the 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  G5 

glance  which  met  mine  from  her  beaming  eyes  ban- 
ished from  my  thoughts  everything  but  her  beautiful 
image,  and  I  said: 

"It  matters  not  whither  I  go  if  my  Madus  goes  with 
me — be  the  journey  to  hades  itself !" 

When  Madus  also  declared  she  had  no  dread  of 
undertaking  the  journey  with  me,  her  father  summoned 
a  priest — the  same  bearded  rascal  that  had  performed 
the  ceremony  of  confirmation  over  me. 

His  vestments  this  time  were  even  more  magnificent 
— ('acquired,'  I  have  not  the  least  doubt,  from  some 
wealthy  cathedral  by  my  respected  father-in-law  and 
his  comrades)  and  with  all  manner  of  unintelligible 
mummery  he  performed  the  ceremony,  which  united 
me  and  my  beloved  Madus  in  the  holy  bonds  of  matri- 
mony. 

When  the  marriage  ceremony  was  concluded,  my 
wife  and  I  each  received  from  her  father  a  costly,  gold 
ornamented  cap,  and  a  richly  embroidered  mantle ;  a 
bag  of  provisions,  and  a  jug  of  wine  were  also  given 
to  us.  Then  we  were  conducted  to  the  same  cleft  in  the 
wall  of  the  cavern,  in  which  the  unfortunate  Jurko  had 
been  entombed. 

When  the  heavy  rock  had  been  removed  from  the 
opening  the  robbers,  one  after  the  other,  shook  hands 
with  us.  The  leader  was  so  deeply  affected  he 
embraced  both  of  us.  After  a  lighted  taper  had  been 
placed  in  my  hand,  we  were  thrust  into  the  narrow  pas- 
sage which  was  immediately  closed  behind  us. 

The  noises  in  the  cavern  sounded  like  the  low  mur- 
mur one  hears  in  a  sea-shell  held  close  to  the  ear.  By 


66  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

the  faint  light  from  our  taper  I  could  see  a  smile  f 
encouragement  on  my  Madus'  face,  and  obeyed  wii- 
out  a  question  when  she  bade  me  follow  her. 

We  had  forced  our  way  through  the  narrow  pacsae, 
which  was  hardly  wide  enough  for  one  person,  a  cn- 
siderable  distance,  when  we  suddenly  came  to  a  s 
chamber  about  the  size  of  a  room  in  a  pleasant  col 
Here,  Madus  said,  we  should  have  to  rest  and  pass  le 
night. 

"Night?"   I  repeated.     "We    can   easily  bring  ic 
blackness  of  midnight  upon  us  in  this  hole !     We 
only  to  extinguish  the  .candle.     But  we  shall  : 
know  when  it  is  morning.     Daylight  never  enters  lire. 
Xo  cheerful  cock-crow  ever  reaches  this  tomb.     Hre, 
no  one  will  come  to  rouse  us,  and  say:     'Rise,  EC! 
morning,  beauteous  morning,  is  come.'  ; 

"Fie,  fie,  Baran,"  chided  my  Madus.  "Do  ou 
already  regret  the  step  you  have  taken?  Should  ou 
be  sorry  never  again  to  see  daylight — now  that  ou 
have  me  with  you?" 

"No,  no,"  I  answered,  promptly,  ashamed  ofmy 
momentary  regret.  "No,  no,"  and  I  set  about  pr 
ing  for  our  night's  rest.  We  spread  our  bear  -.ins 
on  the  floor  of  the  cave,  sat  down  on  them,  an  ate 
our  supper,  becoming  quite  cheerful  as  the  wine  ped 
with  pleasurable  warmth  through  our  veins. 

Suddenly  Madus  turned  toward  me  and  aske 

"Where  do  you  imagine  we  are,  Baran?" 

"In  paradise,"  I  made  answer,  kissing  her. 

Thereupon  she  roguishly  blew  out  the  liglr  and 
asked  again :  "Can  you  see  me?" 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  67 

"No,"  I  answered,  for  I  could  see  nothing  at  all. 
"Look  again,  Baran,  and  repeat  after  me  what  I  say." 

I  fixed  my  eyes  where  I  believed  her  to  be,  and 
repeated  after  her,  word  for  word,  the  Lord's  Prayer, 
the  Ave  Maria  and  the  Credo,  and  as  I  did  so,  it 
seemed  to  me  as  if  the  dear  child's  countenance  came 
into  view,  gradually  growing  brighter  and  brighter, 
until  the  gloom  disappeared,  and  the  subterranean 
grotto  became  irradiated  as  with  the  sunlight  of  noon. 
I  did  not  tell  her  so,  though,  for  women  are  so  easily 
made  vain ;  but  from  that  moment  I  became  convinced 
that  Madus  was  my  guardian  angel. 

Never,  in  all  my  life,  have  I  been  so  happy  as  I  was 
with  my  beloved  Madus  in  that  underground  cave,  and 
I  should  have  been  content  to  stop  there  with  her 
until  the  end  of  time!  I  would  not  have  inquired  if 
ever  a  morning  would  dawn  again  for  us,  had  not 
Madus  roused  me  from  a  sound  slumber,  and  lighted 
the  taper. 

"What  do  you  imagine  will  become  of  us?"  she 
asked,  and  I  replied : 

"I  believe  the  haidemaken  are  playing  a  trick  on 
us,  and  that  they  will  fetch  us  away  from  here  after  a 
while." 

"No,  you  are  mistaken,  Baran,  we  shall  never  again 
return  to  the  cavern.  The  haidemaken  do  not  expect 
to  see  us  again." 

"But,  surely,  Nyedzviedz  will  not  allow  his  only 
daughter  to  perish  miserably  in  this  hole?"  I  ex- 
claimed. 

"Alas,  you  don't  know  him,  my  poor  Baran," 
returned  Madus  sorrowfully.  "My  father's  heart  is 


68  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

impervious  to  pity.  Those  whom  he  banishes,  as  we 
have  been  banished,  can  never  return  to  the  cavern." 

I  now  became  alarmed  in  earnest.  Until  that 
moment  I  had  entertained  a  suspicion  that  the  haide- 
maken  were  only  trying  to  frighten  me. 

I  was  cursing  my  folly — mentally  of  course — for  hav- 
ing allowed  the  fascinations  of  a  love-dream  to  lure 
me  to  so  wretched  a  fate,  when  Madus  rose  from  her 
bear  skin  couch,  and  bade  me  follow  her.  I  remem- 
bered her  radiant  countenance  of  the  preceding  even- 
ing, and  my  confidence  in  her  was  restored. 

We  passed  onward,  through  the  narrow  corridor 
which  traversed  numerous  caves,  larger  and  smaller 
than  the  one  in  which  we  had  rested.  I  kept  glancing 
furtively,  right  and  left,  expecting  every  moment  to  see 
the  helpless  skeletons  with  which  Nyedzviedz  had  tried 
to  intimidate  me. 

On,  on  we  pressed,  occasionally  passing  the  entrance 
to  a  cave  that  was  stored  with  all  manner  of  plunder. 
At  last  I  noticed  that  the  corridor  began  to  widen,  and 
suddenly  my  soul  was  rejoiced  to  discover,  far  ahead, 
a  faint  gleam  of  light-  that  became  brighter  and 
brighter  as  we  approached.  It  was  daylight ! 

"Hurrah !"  I  shouted  aloud,  in  my  ecstacy  clasping 
Madus  to  my  heart.  "We  are  free!  We  are  free!" 

"Free?  No,  my  Baran,  far  from  it!"  she  returned 
gently  and  sadly.  "We  are  approaching  our  life- 
prison.  You  will  soon  see  it." 

The  passage  was  now  wide  enough  for  the  two  of 
us  to  walk  side  by  side.  We  did  not  need  the  taper 
now,  for  we  had  sunlight  from  the  strip  of  blue  sky 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  69 

we  could  see  overhead.  I  pressed  eagerly  forward  to 
see  more  of  it.  I  could  have  drunk  in  at  one  long 
breath  the  entire  heaven. 

At  last  we  arrived  at  the  end  of  the  passage  between 
the  two  tall  walls  of  rock,  and  there  below  us  lay  the 
Viszpa  Ogrod,  which  means :  "Island  Garden." 

And  it  is  a  veritable  island ;  only,  instead  of  water,  it 
is  encompassed  by  rocks — rocks  so  high,  and  so  steep, 
that  nothing  wingless  can  ever  hope  to  escape  over 
them  into  the  world  outside. 

Heaven-towering  walls  of  basalt,  naked  cliffs,  sheer 
inaccessible,  dome-shaped,  and  truncated,  ranged  one 
against  the  other  in  a  compact  mass  like  the  facade  of 
a  vast  cathedral,  environ  the  Viszpa  Ogrod,  which,  with 
its  verdant  fields,  forest,  fruit  and  vegetable  gardens, 
lies  like  a  gleaming  emerald  in  a  setting  of  rock,  at  the 
bottom  of  the  deep  crater. 

From  the  dizzy  heights  of  the  cavern  wall  leaps  a 
stream,  that  is  transformed  to  iridescent  spray  before 
it  reaches  the  valley,  there  to  pursue  its  sinuous  course 
amid  the  fields,  gardens,  and  tiny  white  dwellings 
upon  which  we  looked  down  as  through  a  misty  veil. 

"That  is  our  future  home,"  whispered  Madus.  "Our 
life-prison  from  which  there  is  no  escape.  To  this 
island  garden  is  banished  all  those  haidemaken  who 
prove  too  tender-hearted  for  their  cruel  trade,  or  tire 
of  their  adventurous  life ;  also  those  who  refuse  to 
desert  the  women  they  love.  Here,  the  banished  dwell 
together  and  till  the  ground — they  will  never  again 
see  any  other  portion  of  the  globe  than  this  little 
valley." 


70  TOLD  By  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

The  Viszpa  Ogrod  revealed  the  secret  of  the  haide- 
,maken's  power  to  defy  a  siege.  This  island  garden 
made  it  possible  for  them  to  defy  all  the  troops  sent 
against  them,  for  it  contained  an  inexhaustible  supply 
of  provisions.  When  the  robbers  discovered  it,  it  was 
a  wilderness  of  stunted  fir  trees.  No  living  creature 
could  exist  in  it,  for  there  was  no  water  until  the  brook, 
conducted  into  the  cavern  from  the  opposite  side  of  the 
defile,  found  an  outlet  into  it,  thence,  through  the 
ground,  into  Prince  Siniarsky's  salt  mines. 

The  water  very  soon  wrought  a  wonderful  change 
in  the  aspect  of  the  valley.  A  portion  of  the  stunted 
forest  was  cleared,  and  the  ground  planted  with  rye, 
vegetables,  and  various  shrubs  and  plants  which  throve 
luxuriantly  in  this  "garden"  sheltered  from  the  cold 
winds  by  the  wall  of  rock.  The  firs  left  standing  put 
forward  new  growth,  and  became  stately  trees — every- 
thing, even  the  human  beings  that  came  to  dwell  here, 
underwent  a  complete  transformation. 

True,  those  whom  the  haidemaken  sent  to  the  valley 
had  already  become  tender-hearted,  or,  weary  of  the 
wild  life  of  the  robbers ;  but,  no  matter  what  the  life  of 
a  man  had  been  before  he  became  a  member  of  the 
little  community  in  the  island  garden,  there  he  would 
forget  the  entire  world,  become  an  entirely  new  being. 

I  speak  from  experience,  for  I,  who  have  enjoyed  a 
full  share  of  this  world's  pleasures — everything  that 
can  rejoice  the  king  in  his  palace,  and  the  dreams  of 
the  prisoner  in  his  dungeon — I  never  was  truly  happy 
until  I  went  to  dwell  with  my  beloved  Madus  in  the 
Viszpa  Ogrod. 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  71 

A  narrow  path  winds  from  the  outlet  of  the  rock- 
corridor  down  into  the  valley.  Madus,  who  was  per- 
fectly familiar  with  the  path,  led  the  way,  recognizing, 
while  still  at  a  distance  from  them,  each  occupant  of 
the  little  cottages.  The  children  ran  to  meet  us,  and, 
on  hearing  from  Madus  who  I  was,  seized  our  'hands, 
and  with  shouts  of  joy  drew  us  toward  the  village. 

A  bell  was  rung  to  announce  our  arrival.  Later  I 
learned  from  the  inscription  on  this  bell  that  It  'bad 
formerly  swung  in  the  tower  of  Bicloviez  monastery. 
Like  everything  else  in  the  valley,  it  had  been  stolen. 
Everything,  even  the  beautiful  cloth  and  silk  garments 
which  clothed  the  women — nay  the  women  themselves, 
were  plunder. 

Robber  and  robbed  dwelt  together  amid  plunder  in 
harmony,  happy  as  Adam  and  Eve  in  Eden.  They 
ploughed,  planted,  and  gathered  the  harvest  in  perfect 
contentment.  They  shared  their  abundance  with  the 
cavern,  and  received  in  return  plunder  from  all  parts 
of  the  world. 

As  I  have  said  before,  there  were  no  animals  in  the 
Viszpa  Ogrod  when  the  robbers  discovered  it,  and  as 
it  was  impossible  to  convey  full-grown  cattle  through 
the  narrow  passage  from  the  cavern,  calves,  goats,  and 
lambs  instead  were  brought  to  the  valley,  which  had 
become  so  well  stocked  with  everything  necessary  to 
sustain  a  large  army,  that  no  potentate  on  earth  could 
have  reduced  the  haidemaken  to  starvation,  no  matter 
to  what  length  the  siege  might  have  been  extended. 

The  only  danger  which  threatened  the  cavern  was 
the  stoppage  of  their  water  supply.  Were  that  cut  offa 


72  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

the  luxuriance  and  fruitfulness  of  the  valley  would 
vanish,  and  it  would  become  again  an  arid  wilderness 
uninhabitable  for  man  and  beast.  This  was  the 
danger  dreaded  by  Nyedzviedz  when  the  troopers  be- 
gan to  build  their  wall  in  the  defile. 

The  dwellers  in  the  Viszpa  Ogrod  lived  together 
like  the  family  of  Father  Abraham  in  the  promised 
land.  The  eldest  of  the  men  was  the  patriarch.  He 
made  all  the. laws;  issued  all  the  commands;  allotted 
to  each  one  his  task  and  share  of  the  harvest,  giving 
to  everyone  as  much  as  was  required  for  the  needs  of 
himself  and  his  household. 

There  was  no  priest  in  the  valley.  There  was  no 
Sabbath.  The  pleasant  days  were  working-days; 
when  it  rained  everybody  rested. 

There  was  no  praying,  no  cursing,  no  quarreling. 
There,  where  every  head  of  a  household  had  once  been 
a  thief,  no  disputing  about  mine  and  thine  was  ever 
heard.  There,  every  woman — and  not  one  of  them 
had  been  given  an  opportunity  to  vow  fidelity  to  her 
mate  before  the  altar,  but  had  been  forcibly  conveyed 
to  the  valley — was  so  faithful,  so  modest,  that  no 
stranger  could  have  told  what  was  the  color  of  her 
eyes. 

When  Madus  and  I  arrived  in  the  valley,  Zoraw,  the 
patriarch,  prepared  for  us  a  feast,  to  which  were  invited 
the  rest  of  the  community  to  the  number  of  eighty. 
After  the  feast,  Zoraw  conducted  us  to  the  brook, 
where  we  drank  with  everyone  the  pledge  of  fraternity 
from  a  wooden  bottle  of  fresh  water — that  being  the 
only  beverage  in  the  valley.  At  the  conclusion  of  this 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  73 

ceremony,  the  bottle  was  broken  in  pieces,  to  symbol- 
ize unalterable  alliance. 

Then  Zoraw  measured  off  and  assigned  to  us  our 
plot  of  ground.  The  entire  community  lent  a  hand, 
and  in  two  days  our  cottage  ,was  under  roof,  modestly 
furnished,  and  ready  for  occupancy.  In  the  stable 
stood  a  cow  and  a  goat  for  the  housewife.  When  we 
were  comfortably  settled  in  our  new  home  I  was  asked 
by  the  patriarch  what  manner  of  tools  he  should  give 
me ;  and  finding  that  I  should  be  compelled  to  work — 
something  I  had  never  learned  at  school,  or  in  the 
field — I  chose  the  trade  of  smith,  which  would  at  least 
give  me  the  handling  of  iron,  without  which  I  never 
felt  contented. 

I  became  accustomed  in  a  very  short  time  to  my  new 
mode  of  life.  I  would  work  at  my  trade  the  allotted 
time  every  day,  then  go  home  to  my  wife,  who  would 
tell  me  how  the  ducklings  had  got  smothered  in  the 
shell,  how  the  milk  had  turned  sour,  and  such  like 
prattle.  And  one  day  she  whispered  blushingly  in  my 
ear  the  secret  which  makes  the  husband's  heart  beat 
faster  with  joy  and  pride.  In  listening  to  it,  I  forgot 
everything  else  in  the  world.  The  thought  that  I  was 
to  become  the  father  of  a  family,  that  would  grow  up 
to  know  no  other  home  but  this  peaceful  valley,  filled 
my  soul  with  joy  and  content.  This  thought  became 
to  me  what  roots  are  to  a  tree;  it  attached  me  so 
securely  to  my  little  plot  of  ground,  that  I  felt  as  if  no 
power  on  earth  could  tear  me  away  from  it.  My 
beloved  Madus,  and  our  little  home,  became  doubly 
dear  to  me.  Had  all  the  wealth,  all  the  splendor  that 


74  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

came  to  me  later,  been  offered  me  then  in  exchange  for 
my  Madus  and  the  humble  little  home  she  filled  with 
her  joyous  presence,  I  should  have  refused  with  scorn, 

THE  KOLTUK-DENGENEGI. 

I  had  become  perfectly  satisfied  with  my  peaceful 
and  uneventful  existence.  My  entire  world  now  lay 
within  the  rocky  rim  of  the  Viszpa  Ogrod.  My  entire 
happiness  lay  in  the  beaming  smile  with  which  my 
Madus  greeted  my  home-coming  every  day.  My 
labors  in  the  smithy  were  always  over  by  noon;  the 
afternoons  were  devoted  to  work  required  to  be  done 
at  home. 

One  day  I  was  siting  in  the  hall-way  of  our  cottage 
busily  employed  fashioning,  from  some  crimson  willow 
withes,  a  pretty  basket-cradle,  when  a  shadow  suddenly 
shut  out  the  sunlight  from  me.  I  looked  up  and  was 
startled  to  see  Nyedzviedz  standing  in  the  door-way. 

"You  here!"  I  exclaimed.  "Have  you,  too,  been 
relegated  to  the  Viszpa  Ogrod  because  of  the  softened 
heart?  Or  have  you  come  here  to  hide  from  an 
enemy?— Which?" 

"Neither,  my  good  Baran,"  answered  the  leader. 
"I  am  not  come  to  stop  in  this  happy  valley,  but  to 
fetch  you  away  from  it.  We  need  you  in  the  cavern. 
We  cannot  get  on  without  you.  We  are  planning  a 
most  important  expedition,  and  need  your  assistance. 
A  rich  caravan  is  on  the  road  to  Mohilow ;  it  is  made 
up  of  Russian,  Turkish  and  Jew  traders,  and  is  accom- 
panied by  a  military  escort.  We  propose  to  capture 
this  caravan,  and  take  possession  of  all  the  treasure 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  ?« 

and  valuables,  after  which,  we  shall  proceed  to  Ber- 
diczov  and  loot  the  monastery.  As  the  monastery  is 
strongly  fortified,  and  garrisoned,  we  shall  have  to 
batter  down  the  walls  ;  therefore  we  must  take  you  with 
us,  as  you  are  the  only  one  who  understands  how  to 
handle  our  field  gun.  I  shall  appoint  you  second  in 
command  of  the  expedition." 

Madus  had  come  from  the  kitchen  while  'her  father 
was  speaking.  She  was  not  in  the  least  glad  to  see 
him ;  on  the  contrary,  she  greeted  him  with  a  frown, 
and  demanded  angrily: 

"Why  do  you  try  to  lure  my  gentle-hearted  Baran 
away  from  me?  He  does  not  need  your  stolen  treas- 
ure. He  has  all  he  wants  here  in  his  humble  home. 
You  buried  us  here — we  are  dead  to  you,  therefore 
leave  us  here  in  peace." 

To  which  Nyedzviedz  made  answer  by  saying: 
"Baran,  does  the  father  or  the  husband  control  the 
wife?  If  you,  the  husband,  don't  know  how  to  control 
your  wife,  I,  her  father,  will  show  you  what  to  do  with 
the  woman  who  speaks  when  she  is  not  spoken  to." 

I  well  knew  what  a  hasty  temper  was  the  leader's, 
and  persuaded  Madus  to  come  with  me  to  the  kitchen, 
where  I  gently  argued  away  her  opposition  to  my 
leaving  home.  I  assured  her  it  would  be  for  our  good ; 
that  when  I  had  got  together  enough  money  to  keep 
us  in  comfort  I  should  return,  and  find  a  way  to  escape 
with  her  from  the  valley  to  some  large  city,  where  we 
should  be  safe  from  the  haidemaken,  and  where  she 
might  sweep  the  dusty  streets  with  a  long-tailed  silk 
gown,  and  be  addressed  as  "gracious  lady." 


76  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

This  had  the  desired,  effect.  She  wept  bitterly ;  but 
she  bade  me  go  with  her  father.  When  I  turned  to 
cast  a  last  look  into  the  valley,  before  we  entered  the 
rock-corridor,  I  could  see  my  poor  little  wife's  red 
kerchief  still  gleaming  in  the  doorway  of  our  cottage. 
Her  favorite  dove  had  flown  after  me  to  the  entrance 
of  the  corridor ;  there  it  settled  down  on  my  shoulder 
and  began  to  coo  into  my  ear.  I  had  to  fling  it  away 
from  me  quite  forcibly  in  order  to  frighten  it  back  to 
its  mistress.  My  former  comrades  greeted  me  with 
loud  cries  of  welcome,  and  celebrated  my  return  by  a 
tremendous  drinking-bout. 

When,  after  my  long  abstention  from  it,  I  again 
tasted  wine,  I  forgot  the  Viszpa  Ogrod  and  every- 
thing connected  with  it — as  one  will,  when  awake, 
forget  even  the  most  enchanting  dreams. 

It  is  a  well-known  fact  that  the  wine-drinker  who 
abstains  for  a  long  period  from  his  favorite  beverage, 
then  yields  again  to  the  temptation,  becomes  a  more 
inveterate  drunkard  than  before  he  resisted  the  fasci- 
nations of  the  cup.  The  haidemaken  drank  only 
Tokay ;  they  made  a  point  of  selecting  from  the  cellars 
of  the  prelates,  and  magnates  whom  they  plundered, 
only  the  best  vintages. 

The  following  night  we  set  out  for  Mohilow,  a 
twelve  days'  journey. 

I  am  almost  willing  to  wager  that  not  a  soul,  in  the 
region  to  which  we  were  going,  really  believed  such  a 
band  of  robbers  as  the  haidemaken  was  in  existence — 
or,  if  it  had  ever  been  heard  of,  the  tales  of  its  mar- 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  77 

velous  exploits  were  looked  upon  as  kindred  to  the 
fables  repeated  in  the  nursery. 

As  I  said  before,  the  band  always  traveled  by  night. 
During  the  day  we  rested,  hidden  in  a  dense  forest,  or 
in  an  uninhabited  valley. 

We  never  entered  a  village  to  procure  food,  but 
carried  with  us  rations  of  dried  meat,  varying  our  diet 
with  mushrooms  collected  on  the  way. 

On  learning  definitely  from  the  scouts  we  had  sent 
to  reconnoiter  that  the  caravan  was  expected  to  reach 
Mohilow  on  a  certain  day,  we  concealed  ourselves  in  a 
swampy  thicket  by  the  side  of  the  road  over  which  it 
would  have  to  pass.  Here  we  were  forced  to  wait  two 
days,  during  which  our  meat  gave  out,  and  we  had  to 
eat  raw  frogs  and  birds'  eggs.  The  peasant  carts 
passing  along  the  road,  with  pretzels,  smoked  sau- 
sages, cheese,  mead  and  wine  for  the  market  at 
Mohilow,  were  not  molested  by  the  hungry  robbers, 
who  would  only  have  needed  to  stretch  out  their  hands 
to  secure  the  good  things  for  which  they  languished. 
But  the  leader  would  not  allow  it. 

"We  are  here  to  fight,  not  feast,"  he  said. 

Our  patience  was  well  nigh  at  an  end,  when,  one 
day,  {he  sound  of  a  trumpet  and  drum  announced  the 
approach  of  the  caravan. 

On  mules,  on  horses,  camels,  and  ox-carts,  came  the 
fifteen-hundred-odd  human  souls,  their  escort,  a  valiant 
company  of  soldiers  in  coats  of  mail,  and  helmets,  and 
armed  with  halberds,  and  muskets.  It  was  a  motly 
crowd,  outnumbering  our  band  in  souls;  but;  inferior 
to  us  in  strength. 


78  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

When,  at  a  preconcerted  signal,  our  men  dashed  from 
the  thicket,  the  entire  caravan  fell  into  confusion. 
The  soldiers  fired  off  their  muskets,  heedless  where 
they  aimed;  we,  on  the  other  hand,  sent  our  shots 
where  they  would  prove  most  effective. 

A  frightful  tumult  ensued — it  was :  save  himself  who 
can ;  while  the  heavily  laden  carts  and  vans  were  left 
behind. 

I  must  admit  that  the  haidemaken  behaved  atro- 
ciously. Never,  in  all  my  experience  on  the  battle- 
field, did  I  witness  such  a  scene  of  carnage.  It  made 
me  ill ;  I  became  so  faint  with  horror  and  disgust  I 
sank  unconscious  to  the  ground. 

When  I  came  to  my  senses,  I  saw  a  Turkish  mer- 
chant hobbling  on  a  crutch  toward  me.  He  was  old, 
and  seemed  to  have  been  seriously  wounded,  for  he 
was  covered  with  blood.  He  came  straight  toward  me, 
and,  sinking  to  the  ground  by  my  side,  said  in  a  plead- 
ing tone :  "My  son,  I  beg  you,  take  my  yataghan,  and 
cut  off  my  head." 

Your  honors  may  believe  that  I  was  startled  by  so 
singular  a  request. 

"I  shan't  do  any  such  thing!"  I  replied  promptly, 
and  with  decision. 

"Pray  do,"  he  urged.  "Cut  off  my  head  without 
further  parley,  and  you  shall  have  this  koltuk-deni- 
genegi,"  which  is  Turkish  for  "beggar's  staff." 

"No,  Baba,"  I  returned,  with  the  same  decision  as 
before.  "I  can't  cut  off  your  head,  for  I  have  no 
grudge  against  you.  I  am  not  an  assassin — though  I 
do  belong  to  the  haidemaken;  I  was  forced  into  this 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  ?9 

band,  much  as  Pilate  was  thrust  into  the  credo — against 
his  will,  I'll  warrant !" 

"Your  countenance  tells  me,  my  son,  that  you  are 
better  than  your  comrades,"  said  the  old  Turk.  "For 
that  reason  I  ventured  to  ask  a  favor  of  you.  Come, 
hesitate  no  longer  to  perform  the  deed  of  mercy  for 
which  you  shall  be  handsomely  rewarded.  Decapitate 
this  old  body;  it  will  not  be  assassination;  one  can 
murder  only  a  living  being — so  says  the  Koran,  the 
only  truthful  book  on  earth — and  I  cannot  strictly  be 
called  a  living  being.  I  have  a  deadly  wound  in  the 
abdomen,  and  am  bound  to  die  sooner  or  later.  Be- 
sides, I  am  prepared  and  desire  to  die.  I  can't  flee  any 
farther ;  and  if  I  fall  into  the  hands  of  your  cruel  com- 
rades I  shall  be  horribly  tortured.  Therefore,  I  beg 
you  to  release  me  from  further  suffering;  cut  off  my 
head  with  this  beautiful  yataghan,  which  shall  also  be 
yours." 

But,  not  even  then  could  I  bring  myself  to  grant  his 
prayer,  and  relieve  him  of  his  sufferings  and  his  bald 
head. 

"Leave  me,  Baba,"  I  exclaimed  impatiently.  "If  you 
want  to  get  rid  of  your  head,  cut  it  off  yourself  with 
that  beautiful  yataghan ;  or  else,  hang  yourself  on  one 
of  those  beautiful  trees  over  yonder." 

To  this  the  old  Turk  responded  with  pious  mien: 
"That  I  dare  not  do,  my  son.  The  Koran — the  only 
truthful  book  on  earth — says,  there  are  seven  hells: 
one  underneath  the  other,  and  each  one  more  terrible 
than  the  one  above  it.  The  first  hell  is  for  true  believ- 
ers, like  myself;  the  second  is  for  Christians;  the 


80  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD, 

seventh  is  for  the  Atheists.  The  fourth,  Morhut,  is  for 
those  persons  who  commit  suicide.  Were  I  to  take 
my  own  life,  I  should  have  to  descend  to  the  fourth 
hell,  where,  as  well  as  in  every  one  of  the  three  hells 
above  it,  I  should  be  obliged  to  remain  three-hundred 
and  thirty-three  years  before  I  should  be  permitted  to 
enter  paradise.  Whereas,  if  I  should  lose  my  life  at  the 
hands  of  an  unbeliever  like  yourself,  I  should — so  says 
the  Koran,  the  only  truthful  book  on  earth — go 
straightway  to  paradise.* 

And  still  I  hesitated ;  though  it  seemed  but  kindness 
to  grant  the  old  Turk's  request,  and  send  him  speeding 
straightway  into  paradise.  But,  I  remembered  that 
our  Bible  (really  the  only  truthful  book  on  earth)  says : 
"Thou  shalt  not  kill ;"  and  thrust  the  importunate  old 
fellow  away  from  me. 

But  he  renewed  his  pleading  with  increased  ur- 
gency :  "See,  my  son,  I  will  give  you  this  koltuk-den- 
genegi — "  "Of  what  use  would  that  crutch  be  to 
me?"  I  interrupted. 

"If  you  will  screw  off  the  top  you  will  see  that  the 
crutch  is  rilled  with  gold  pieces,"  he  replied;  and  to 
prove  that  he  spoke  the  truth,  he  unscrewed  the  shoul- 
der rest  and  shook  several  gold  coins  into  the  palm  of 
his  hand. 

The  yellow  metal  dazzled  my  eyes:  "The  crutch 
would  hold  a  good  many  coins,"  I  said  to  myself,  to 
which  added  the  Turk's  pleading  voice : 

"You  shall  have  it  all,  my  son,  if  you  will  but  grant 
my  prayer." 

And  still  I  hesitated. 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  81 

"I  can't  do  it,  Baba,"  I  said.  "Even  if  you  gave  me 
the  crutch,  I  should  not  be  allowed  to  keep  the  gold. 
No  member  of  our  band  is  allowed  to  keep  for  his  own 
use  alone  any  valuables  that  may  come  into  his  posses- 
sion. Everything  must  be  placed  at  once  in  the  com- 
mon treasury  for  the  use  of  the  entire  band — and  woe 
to  the  haidemak  who  would  dare  to  keep  for  himself 
even  a  single  Polish  groschen  !  So,  you  see,  Baba,  your 
gold  would  be  of  no  use  to  me." 

"Listen  to  me,  my  son,"  again  urged  the  wounded 
Turk,  who  was  growing  visibly  weaker ;  "you  are 
young ;  I  can  see  that  this  wild  life  is  not  suited  to  you. 
If  you  had  my  gold,  you  could  escape  to  Wallachia, 
buy  an  estate — a  castle — serfs,  and  marry.  Perhaps 
you  already  have  a  sweetheart — if  so,  why  shouldn't 
you  live  in  happiness  with  her,  instead  of  skulking 
about  in  caves  and  swamps  like  a  wild  animal?" 

This  suggestion  made  me  thoughtful.  It  brought 
back  to  my  mind  my  dear  good  Madus.  Ah !  if  only  I 
might  fly  with  her,  far  away,  to  some  region  where 
she  might  become  a  respected  lady.  If  I  had  the 
Turk's  gold !  I  could  easily  keep  it  secreted  in  the 
crutch.  Some  day,  when  the  haidemaken  were  away 
on  an  expedition,  I  could  easily  stupefy  the  few  mem- 
bers of  the  band  remaining  in  the  cavern  by  drugging 
their  mead  with  Venice  treacle ;  and  when  they  were 
sound  asleep  I  could  fetch  my  Madus  from  the  Viszpa 
Ogrod  and  with  her  escape  to  a  far  away  land. 

This  thought  impressed  itself  so  deeply  on  my 
mind — it  became  so  alluring  that,  unconsciously,  my 
hand  went  out  toward  the  beautiful  yataghan. 


82  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

"If  I  thought  I  could  keep  the  gold  hidden !"  I  said, 
unconscious  that  I  had  given  voice  to  the  thought. 

"That  will  be  easy  enough ;  just  leave  it  in  the 
crutch,"  promptly  responded  the  Turk.  "When  you 
join  your  comrades  make  believe  to  have  taken  cold 
in  the  swamp  yonder,  say  that  the  muscles  of  your  leg 
have  contracted  and  made  you  lame.  That  will  not 
only  give  you  an  excuse  to  use  the  crutch,  but  it  will 
most  likely  get  your  discharge;  a  hobbling  cripple  is 
not  a  desirable  comrade  in  a  band  of  robbers." 

Without  waiting  to  see  how  I  might  take  his  sugges- 
tion, the  Turk  proceeded  at  once  to  show  me  how  to 
bandage  my  left  leg,  so  that  it  could  not  be  straight- 
ened at  the  knee ;  how  to  keep  my  ankle  against  the 
crutch,  and  hobble  along  on  the  right  leg.  I  thought  of 
Madus,  for  whom  I  would  have  hobbled  on  one  leg 
to  Jerusalem,  and  let  him  show  me  how  to  transform 
myself  to  a  cripple. 

"Now,  my  son,"  he  said,  when  he  had  delivered  his 
instructions,  "take  my  yataghan,  my  beautiful  yata- 
ghan, and  cut  off  my  head — only  don't  hack  it  off  as  a 
butcher  would  with  a  cleaver.  Swing  the  yataghan, 
thus,  in  a  half-circle — easily,  gracefully,  as  you  would 
the  bow  of  a"  violin.  I  will  kneel  here  at  your  feet, 
bend  forward,  thus;  then  do  you  strike  just  here:  be- 
tween these  two  segments  of  the  vertebrae.  Be  sure  to 
keep  firm  hold  on  the  handle  to  prevent  the  blade  from 
slipping—" 

He  gave  me  so  many  directions,  kept  on  talking  so 
long  that  Satan,  who  is  ever  at  one's  elbow,  gave  my 
arm  a  sudden  thrust,  and,  before  I  knew  what  had  hap- 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  S3 

pened,  a  body  minus  a  head  lay  at  my  feet,  while  a 
head  minus  a  body  was  rolling  down  the  hill — 

"Homicidium!"  dictated  the  chair  to  the  notary.  To 
this  the  prince  appended : 

"Under  extenuating  circumstances.  We  must  not 
ignore  the  fact  that  the  deed  was  committed  at  the 
urgent  request  of  the  decapitated — under  approval  of 
the  Koran,  and  instigated,  I  might  say,  forced,  to  the 
act  by  the  wicked  one  at  the  perpetrator's  elbow." 

"It  was  killing  a  human  being,  all  the  same!"  said 
Hugo,  "and  I  had  cause  soon  afterward  to  repent  most 
bitterly  what  I  had  done.  After  I  had  committed  the 
bloody  deed  I  set  out  to  overtake  my  comrades.  They 
had  secured  much  valuable  booty  which  they  were 
carrying  on  their  backs.  When  I  came  up  with  them, 
hobbling  on  one  leg  and  leaning  on  my  crutch,  they 
broke  into  loud  laughter: 

"What  the  devil  is  the  matter  with  you?"  queried  the 
leader.  * 

"I  am  all  used  up!"  I  groaned.  "I  killed  an  old 
Turk,  whose  lame  leg  prevented  him  from  running 
away  with  the  rest  of  them ;  and  before  he  gave  up  the 
ghost  he  cursed  me  and  prayed  that  I  might  be  com- 
pelled to  hobble  along  on  a  crutch  for  the  rest  of  my 
life.  He  had  hardly  got  the  words  out  of  his  throat 
before  my  leg  became  as  you  see  it,  and  I  can't 
straighten  it." 

"That  comes  of  standing  in  the  swamp — cold  water 
will  affect  effeminate  fellows  like  you  in  that  way," 
observed  Nyedzviedz.  "But  don't  worry,  we  have 


84  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

among  us  one  who  understands  how  to  cure  such 
maladies.  Ho,  there !  Przepiorka,  come  hither." 

I  was  frightened,  I  can  tell  you!  If  my  leg  were 
examined  it  would  be  found  to  be  in  a  sound  and 
healthy  condition.  But  there  was  no  help  for  it — I 
could  not  escape  an  examination.  So  I  drew  up  the 
calf  of  the  leg  so  tightly  against  the  lower  part  of  the 
thigh  that  Przepiorka,  after  he  had  tried  several  times 
in  vain  to  straighten  it  pronounced  it  permanently 
crippled. 

On  hearing  this  decision,  I  forgot  my  role  and  would 
have  straightened  the  leg  to  convince  myself  that  it 
could  be  done;  but,  what  was  my  consternation  and 
alarm  to  find  that  I  was  unable  to  do  it.  The  affliction 
I  had  pretended  had  come  upon  me  in  earnest !  God 
had  punished  me.  I  was  a  miserable  cripple,  unable 
to  take  a  single  step  without  the  koltuk-dengenegi. 

How  I  cursed  him  who  had  left  it  to  me  in  legacy ! 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 


CHAPTER    II. 

THE  BERDICZOV  MONASTERY. 

"Don't  worry,"  said  Nyedzviedz  again,  when  he  saw 
my  distress.  "Don't  worry !  You  can  still  be  of  great 
service  to  us,  even  if  you  are  lame.  We  have  long 
wanted  to  add  to  our  number  just  such  a  cripple." 

Then  he  summoned  a  sturdy,  broad-shouldered 
robber  and  bade  him  take  me  on  his  back  and  in  this 
fashion  I  journeyed  with  the  band,  the  stronger  mem- 
bers taking  turns  in  carrying  me. 

When  we  arrived  at  Oezakover  forest,  where  we 
halted  to  rest,  the  leader  said  to  me : 

"You  will  leave  us  here,  Baran,  and  hobble  to  Ber- 
diczov  as  best  you  can.  I  want  you  to  spy  out  the 
situation  there  for  us  and  get  all  the  information  you 
can.  Then  you  will  return  to  the  cavern  and  on  the 
news  you  bring  will  depend  our  plans  of  attack ;  I  pro- 
pose to  capture  the  monastery." 

The  extraordinary  success  of  the  Mohilow  expe- 
dition had  made  our  leader  so  arrogant  that,  because 
he  had,  with  three-hundred  men  vanquished  two- 
thousand,  half  of  whom  were  armed,  he  now  aspired 
to  nothing  of  less  importance  than  a  garrisoned  castle. 

And  the  wedge  with  which  he  proposed  to  force  an 
entrance  was  my  crippled  leg! 

From  near  and  far — from  distant  lands  even,  all 
manner  of  crippled  folk,  and  invalids  afflicted  with 

(85) 


86  (  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

divers  maladies,  journeyed  to  Berdiczov  in  search  of 
healing.  The  indigent  limped  and  hobbled  on  crutches 
to  the  miracle-working  spot;  the  well-to-do  rode  on 
mules;  the  peasant  was  trundled  in  a  barrow  by  his 
sturdy  spouse;  the  tradesman  travelled  in  his  two- 
wheeled  ox-cart;  and  the  magnate  was  borne  in  his 
sedan-chair  by  his  servants. 

Berdiczov  monastery  was  the  property  of  the  Pre- 
monstrant  monks.  It  stood  on  an  elevation  in  the 
center  of  a  charming  valley.  It  was  strongly  fortified, 
and  surrounded  by  thick  walls,  which  were  protected 
outside  by  a  deep  moat  and  palisades. 

A  thermal  spring  at  the  foot  of  the  hill  fed  the  moat 
and  turned  the  wheels  of  a  grist  mill.  The  only  en- 
trance to  the  monastery  was  over  a  narrow  drawbridge 
that  spanned  the  moat  at  its  deepest  part.  The  mul- 
titude of  visitors  to  the  healing  spring  found  lodgings 
in  the  little  village  outside  the  walls  of  the  monastery ; 
and  only  one  hundred  worshippers  at  a  time  were  per- 
mitted to  enter  the  chapel  inside  the  gates.  If  the 
crowd  gathered  at  the  drawbridge  at  the  hour  for  ser- 
vices exceeded  that  number  then  mass  was  celebrated 
all  day  long,  one  hundred  of  the  faithful  entering  at 
one  door,  as  the  hundred  that  had  worshipped  passed 
out  by  the  other.  Day  and  night  guards  armed  to  the 
teeth  patrolled  the  walls  and  the  court-yard;  and  no 
visitor  was  allowed  to  enter  with  weapons  of  any  sort, 
for  enormous  wealth  lay  heaped  within  the  walls  of  the 
monastery.  When  I  saw  the  heaps  on  heaps  of  valu- 
ables in  the  treasure-chamber,  I  no  longer  wondered 
that  Nyedzviedz  desired  to  possess  it.  There  was  a 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  87 

massive  altar  of  pure  silver,  the  gift  of  King  Stanis- 
laus ;  golden  alms  basins,  engraved  with  the  name  and 
history  of  the  donor,  Count  Leszinsky;  images  of 
saints  with  mosaics  of  priceless  gems ;  golden  chalices ; 
shrines  glittering  with  rubies  and  diamonds ;  gemmed 
thuribles;  antique  crowns  which  had  once  adorned 
crania  twice  the  size  of  the  heads  of  our  day;  costly 
reliquaries ;  and,  amid  all  this  splendor,  countless  num- 
bers of  crutches  and  staves,  the  votive  offerings  of  the 
afflicted  who  had  found  healing  in  the  waters  of  the 
spring. 

The  crutches  and  staves  were  the  first  objects  to 
attract  my  eye,  and  I  said  to  myself:  "How  gladly 
would  I  add  to  this  collection  the  old  Turk's  koltuk- 
dengenegi  with  all  its  gold,  could  I  but  find  healing  for 
my  crippled  leg." 

When  the  choral  began,  I  can't  describe  the  feeling 
which  took  possession  of  me  as  I  listened  to  the  beau- 
tiful melody.  I  had  no  thought  then  for  the  treasures 
of  gold  and  silver — no  glance  for  anything  but  the 
image  of  the  saint  above  the  altar.  I  could  not  escape 
from  the  reproachful  eyes  it  fixed  on  me.  I  felt  that  it 
was  reading  all  the  wicked  thoughts  in  my  breast. 
But,  as  I  listened  to  the  beautiful  music,  all  the  evil 
intentions  I  had  brought  with  me  to  the  monastery 
faded  from  my  heart;  and  when  the  last  sounds  died 
away,  there  was  not,  in  all  the  devout  company,  a  more 
bitterly  repentant  wretch  than  I.  When  the  service 
was  concluded,  the  worshippers  passed  in  front  of  the 
prior  to  receive  his  benediction.  The  prior  was  a  ven- 


88  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

arable  saint  with  a  flowing  white  beard;  his  coun- 
tenance expressed  infinite  goodness  and  benevolence. 

We  had  been  told  not  to  offer  any  gifts  to  the  monks 
on  entering  the  monastery;  but  to  leave  whatever  we 
might  think  fit  to  bestow,  on  departing. 

The  venerable  prior  dispensed  his  blessing  to  all 
alike.  He  did  not  inquire  if  the  recipient  were  a  be- 
liever, or  a  heretic.  Christians,  Jews,  Mohammedans, 
all  alike,  received  the  godly  man's  benediction. 

I  quitted  the  chapel  wholly  repentant.  I  had  com- 
pletely forgotten  the  errand  on  which  I  had  been  sent. 
Not  once  did  it  occur  to  me  that  I  was  there  as  a  spy, 
to  examine  the  walls,  the  mortars,  to  learn  the  strength 
of  the  garrison. 

I  took  my  place  in  the  procession  of  cripples,  and 
hobbled  along  with  them,  mumbling  the  prayers  pre- 
scribed for  us. 

When  we  arrived  at  the  miracle-working  spring,  I 
and  my  fellow-sufferers  were  undressed  and  placed  on 
rafts  in  the  water — rich  and  poor  alike,  no  distinction 
was  made  between  the  magnate  and  the  beggar. 

I  can't  say  exactly  how  long  I  remained  in  the 
water;  but  when  I  came  out,  the  crook  had  left  my  leg, 
it  was  straight  and  sound  as  before  I  came  into  pos- 
session of  the  old  Turk's  crutch. 

"Miraculum  !  Miraculum  !"  shouted  the  entire  com- 
pany ;  while  I  wept  like  a  little  child,  for  joy  and  grati- 
tude. 

With  my  crutch  over  my  shoulder,  instead  of  under 
it  I  returned  to  the  prior,  who  received  me  with  a 
benignant  smile. 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  89 

I  knelt  at  his  feet  and  asked  him  to  receive  my  con- 
fession. I  told  him  every  thing ;  that  I  was  there  at  the 
behest  of  the  haidemaken  leader  to  spy  out  the 
strength  of  the  fortifications  and  the  garrison ;  that  the 
band  was  preparing  to  assault  the  monastery,  so  soon 
as  they  should  hear  from  me;  that  they  intended  to 
bring  with  them  a  powerful  field-gun,  with  which  to 
force  a  breach  in  the  walls  through  which  the  four- 
hundred  fearless  robbers  would  enter  and  overpower 
the  soldiery.  When  I  had  concluded,  and  the  prior 
had  given  me  absolution,  he  said : 

"Now,  my  son,  go  back  to  those  who  sent  you  here 
and  tell  them  what  you  have  learned.  Let  them  come 
with  their  field-gun,  and  do  you  come  with  them. 
When  you  are  ordered  to  bombard  the  walls,  do  you 
obey—" 

"What?  father;"  I  interrupted  in  astonishment. 
"You  advise  me  to  do  that?" 

"Yes.  On  the  bombardier  depends  the  effect  of  the 
bombardment !  It  rests  with  him  to  aim  well,  or  ill ! 
Better  you  at  the  gun  than  another !" 

I  understood  the  sagacious  reply,  and  said: 

"I  shall  take  good  care  not  to  aim  well,  father." 

"On  you,  my  son,  will  it  depend  that  the  relief  troops 
I  shall  send  for  reach  here  in  time  to  save  us  from  the 
robbers." 

"And  you  may  rest  assured,  father,  that  I  shall  know 
how  to  prolbng  the  siege  !" 

As  a  pledge  that  I  would  keep  faith  with  him  I  gave 
him  my  crutch,  gratitude  also  prompting  the  gift,  for, 


90  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

not  even  a  gold-filled  crutch  is  too  great  a  price  to  pay 
for  a  sound  leg ! 

"I  will  keep  it  for  you,  my  son/'  said  the  benevolent 
sage.  "If  you  succeed  in  averting  the  danger  which 
threatens  us  you  shall  have  the  crutch  back,  and  some- 
thing in  addition — something  of  more  value  than  gold : 
aid  to  reform.  Take  this  image  of  the  Holy  Virgin  to 
your  wife  with  my  blessing." 

A  changed  man  at  heart,  I  returned  to  the  cavern, 
where,  however,  I  was  forced  again  to  tell  untruths,  in 
order  to  deceive  the  robbers.  But  it  was  for  a  good 
cause. 

My  comrades  received  me  with  gratulatory  shouts 
when  they  saw  me  walking  on  two  healthy  legs.  I 
told  them  I  had  been  healed  by  magic — by  the  incan- 
tations of  a  witch,  and  they  believed  me !  Had  I  told 
the  truth,  and  that  I  had  received  the  blessing  of  the 
prior,  it  would  have  made  them  suspicious. 

We  now  held  a  council  of  war,  at  which  I  delivered 
my  report.  I  knew  from  experience  that,  to  gain  cred- 
ence for  a  lie,  one  must  invest  it  with  a  modicum  of 
truth.  Therefore,  I  described,  without  deviating  one 
iota  from  the  truth,  the  treasures  I  had  seen,  and  even 
added  to  them — as,  for  instance :  I  said  there  were  bar- 
rels filled  with  gold  and  silver,  which  made  the  rob- 
bers' mouths  water.  Nyedzviedz  was  full  of  ambitious 
plans.  He  intended,  so  soon  as  he  got  money  enough, 
to  combine  under  his  leadership  all  the  predatory 
bands  in  the  Carpathian  region,  and  with  them  invade 
and  plunder  the  wealthy  Galician  cities,  castles,  and 
monastaries.  He  felt  confident  that  the  common  peo- 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  $1 

pie  would  be  glad  to  aid  in  plundering  the  prelates  and 
nobles. 

I  described  the  fortifications  of  Berdiczov  monastery 
as  almost  impregnable,  when  the  truth  was,  that  I 
could,  with  the  culverin,  have  battered  down  the  walls 
the  first  day  while  the  rusty  old  mortars  would  do  little 
damage  among  the  beleaguerers.  I  ascribed  to  the 
prior  the  strategic  talents  of  a  field-marshall.  My 
description  of  the  moat,  with  the  formidable  palisades 
concealed  under  the  water,  quite  discouraged  the  rob- 
bers from  the  plan  they  had  made  to  swim  across  it, 
and  storm  the  walls. 

Indeed,  I  told  such  astounding  tales  about  the 
powder  mines  under  the  walls  and  moat,  that  their 
confidence  in  me  became  absolute  when  I  sketched  my 
plan  of  assault.  I  proposed  to  batter  the  fortifications 
in  such  a  manner,  that  the  debris  would  fall  into  and 
fill  up  the  moat,  which  would  enable  us  to  cross  it  with- 
out injury,  and  enter  through  the  breaches  I  had  made 
in  the  walls.  I  won  the  leader's  favor  and  approval  to 
such  an  extent  that  he  committed  the  entire  conduct 
of  the  important  expedition  into  my  hands. 

At  the  conclusion  of  the  council,  I  asked  as  a  special 
favor  to  be  allowed  to  spend  a  day  with  my  beloved 
Madus  before  we  set  out  on  the  expedition. 

Nyedzviedz  at  first  was  unwilling  to  consent.  "I 
know,"  he  said,  "just  how  women-folk  are.  It  is  best 
for  a  soldier  to  have  nothing  to  do  with  them.  Their 
tears  are  sure  to  melt  a  soft  heart." 

But  I  persisted  in  my  request,  and  at  last  received 
permission  to  visit  the  Viszpa  Ogrod. 


92  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

It  was  a  beautiful  autumn  afternoon  when  I  de- 
scended the  steep  path  to  the  secluded  valley.  While 
yet  some  distance  from  our  little  cottage,  I  heard  my 
Madus  singing  sweetly — I  can  hear  her  now,  and  see 
her  as  she  came  joyfully  to  meet  me. 

How  happy  she  was ! 

The  poor  child  believed  I  had  come  to  stop,  and  as 
I  did  not  want  to  cloud  her  joy,  I  put  off  until  the 
moment  of  my  departure,  telling  her  that  I  was  again 
to  accompany  her  father  on  a  distant  expedition. 

One  day  at  least  I  would  spend  happily.  So,  I  let 
my  Madus  tell  me  all  that  had  happened  in  the  valley 
during  my  absence ;  I  heard  also  how  much  dried  fruit, 
how  many  smoked  trout,  how  many  cheeses,  she  had 
in  store  for  the  winter;  how  many  yards  of  beautiful 
linen  she  had  woven  from  the  flax  she  had  cultivated 
with  her  own  hands. 

Last  of  all,  she  exhibited,  with  blushing  cheeks,  her 
little  treasures :  cunning  little  caps,  and  jackets,  at  sight 
of  which  my  heart  leapt  for  joy  in  my  bosom.  She 
confided  to  me  in  a  whisper  that,  when  Christmas 
should  arrive,  her  Bethlehem  crib  would  have  received 
its  occupant. 

Oh,  how  gladly  would  I  have  remained  with  her! 
But  it  could  not  be.  I  had  more  ambitious  plans  for 
her.  I  was  bent  on  escaping  with  her  to  the  great 
world,  where  she  should — as  she  deserved — become  a 
fine  lady. 

After  she  had  told  me  everything  about  herself,  she 
asked  me  to  relate  what  I  had  done  while  absent. 
When  I  told  her  how  successful  the  expedition  had 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  93 

proved,  I  found  that  the  Madus  who  tended  her  doves 
and  made  cheeses  in  the  Viszpa  Ogrod,  was  vastly 
different  from  the  Madus  who  had  once  accompanied 
the  haidemaken  expeditions.  She  grew  pale  with  hor- 
ror when  I  described  the  slaughter  of  the  caravan ;  and 
the  occurrence  which  resulted  in  my  becoming  the 
inheritor  of  the  old  Turk's  crutch,  and  a  lame  leg.  She 
became  more  composed,  however,  when  I  told  her 
about  the  marvelous  cure  at  the  healing  spring;  and 
quite  recovered  her  composure  when  I  gave  her  the 
image  of  the  Holy  Virgin  the  prior  had  sent  her.  Ah 
me !  that  image  was  her  death,  as  well  as  her  salvation. 

The  next  morning  I  told  her  I  had  to  leave  her 
again.  She  sought  with  tears  and  caresses  to  dissuade 
me  from  going.  She  clasped  her  arms  around  my 
neck,  then  flung  herself  at  my  feet,  and  clasped  my 
knees — she  seemed  unable  to  control  her  wild  despair. 

I  have  often  thought  since  that  the  poor«child  had 
a  presentiment  she  would  never  again  behold  me  in 
this  life. 

I  sought  in  vain  to  comfort  her;  in  vain  I  assured 
her  that  I  would  never  leave  her  again  after  I  returned 
from  this  expedition,  from  which  I  hoped  to  secure 
what  would  enable  me  to  establish  a  home  for  her  in 
some  large  city.  She  was  inconsolable. 

She  accompanied  me  to  the  entrance  to  the  rock- 
corridor,  and  would  have  gone  clear  to  the  cavern,  had 
not  her  father  met  us  just  as  we  were  entering  the 
passage.  He  frightened  her  by  saying  it  would  be 
unsafe  to  venture  among  the  haidemaken  in  her  con- 
dition, as  all  robbers  entertained  the  superstitious  be- 


94  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

lief  that  the  fourth  finger  from  the  hand  of  an  unborn 
babe  rendered  the  possessor  invulnerable  to  bullet  and 
sword. 

Nyedzviedz  would  not  even  allow  a  last  embrace, 
but  thrust  us  roughly  apart ;  and  forced  me  to  precede 
him  into  the  corridor.  I  kept  looking  back  from  time 
to  time,  so  long  as  the  entrance  remained  in  sight.  My 
Madus  stood,  looking  after  me,  in  the  circular  opening 
of  the  rocky  wall ;  she  seemed  like  a  saint  encompassed 
by  a  halo  of  light,  and  as  the  corridor  grew  darker  and 
more  gloomy  the  radiant  image  at  my  back  increased 
in  brilliance  until  a  sudden  turn  hid  the  beautiful  vision 
from  my  sight. 

That  same  evening  we  set  out  for  Berdiczov — four- 
hundred  haidemaken,  with  the  culverin. 

CHRISTMAS. 

It  was  early  Autumn  when  we  began  the  siege, 
which  I  conducted  in  so  skillful — from  my  point 
of  view ! — a  manner,  that  December  found  us  still  out- 
side the  walls  of  the  monastery.  Three  times  I 
changed  the  position  of  our  assaulting  forces ;  but  took 
good  care  every  time  to  select  a  point  far  enough  from 
the  walls  to  prevent  our  shots  from  damaging  them  to 
any  considerable  extent. 

Nyedzviedz  kept  urging  me  to  a  nearer  approach: 
he  said  we  were  so  distant,  that  the  cannon-balls  from 
the  fortifications  had  to  roll  over  the  ground  to  reach 
our  lines.  So,  one  day,  after  he  had  examined  the 
ground,  and  discovered  what  he  believed  to  be  a  more 
advantageous  position,  I  was  forced,  in  order  not  to 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  95 

rouse  his  suspicions,  to  comply  with  his  request. 
While  superintending  the  throwing  up  of  intrench- 
ments  the  first  night  I  managed  to  secrete  under  the 
earth-works  a  keg  of  powder,  and  in  the  morning  I 
told  the  leader  that  extreme  caution  would  be  nec- 
essary, now  that  we  were  so  much  nearer  to  the  for- 
tifications, as  the  monks  were  having  powder-mines 
laid  under  our  breast-works.  I  had  heard  peculiar 
noises  during  the  night,  I  told  him,  and,  suspecting 
what  was  being  done,  I  had  scattered  a  few  peas  on  the 
head  of  a  drum  standing  on  the  ground.  The  lively 
dancing  of  the  peas  had  convinced  me  that  my  sus- 
picions were  correct. 

But  the  leader  was  incredulous.  He  decided  to  take 
observations  for  himself;  and  would  spend  the  follow- 
ing night  in  the  trenches,  when  he  could  also  watch 
the  result  of  our  bombardment.  This  would  make  it 
impossible  for  me  to  carry  out  my  plans  for  exploding 
the  keg  of  powder  hidden  in  the  breast-works.  But, 
I  was  not  to  be  outdone.  I  happened  to  remember  an 
expedient  I  had  once  employed  with  success,  and  re- 
sorted to  it  again:  I  drew  the  fuse  through  a  long 
reed,  one  end  of  which  I  thrust  into  the  keg. 

I  had  to  be  very  cautious ;  for  Nyedzviedz  had  a  nose 
that  could  smell  a  match  cord  at  long  range ;  but  with 
the  fuse  inside  the  reed,  I  could  prevent  the  fumes  from 
getting  into  the  range  of  his  olfactor. 

The  powder  exploded  at  the  right  moment,  just 
when  the  leader  was  bending  eagerly  over  the  breast- 
work to  peer  after  a  bomb.  After  the  smoke  and  dust 
cleared  away,  I  drew  him  from  under  the  heap  of  earth, 


96  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

from  which  only  his  legs  protruded.  He  had  not  been 
injured  in  the  least,  but  all  desire  to  assault  the  enemy 
at  so  close  a  range  had  fled,  and  I  was  allowed  to  re- 
turn to  our  former  position,  on  the  brow  of  a  hill,  a 
considerable  distance  farther  from  the  fortifications. 

I  consoled  the  dissatisfied  haidemaken  with  the 
assurance  that,  when  the  real  cold  weather  of  winter 
should  set  in,  the  moat  would  freeze  over ;  then  it  would 
be  an  easy  matter  to  storm  the  walls  at  close  range.  I 
did  not  think  it  necessary  to  tell  them  that  the  warm 
spring  would  prevent  the  water  in  the  moat  from  freez- 
ing. In  the  meantime  came  Christmas — an  anxiously 
longed-for  day  in  many  respects.  With  the  dawn  of 
Christmas  morning  came  a  furious  snow-storm,  the 
north  wind  flinging  down  on  us  such  masses  of  flakes 
that  it  was  impossible  to  see  ten  steps  away. 

It  was  just  the  sort  of  weather  I  had  calculated  on. 
The  bombardment  had  to  cease,  as  the  monastery  was 
completely  hidden  from  view  behind  the  veil  of  snow. 
The  haidemaken  retired  to  their  tents,  and  amused 
themselves,  gaming  with  dice  and  cards,  for  what 
stakes  do  you  imagine?  They  had  no  money,  remem- 
ber !  Why,  the  winner  paid,  and  the  loser  received,  a 
box  on  the  ear !  I  hadn't  any  fondness  for  the  game 
myself;  but  my  comrades  seemed  to  enjoy  it  hugely. 

While  gaming,  drinking,  cursing,  were  going  on  in 
the  other  tents,  I  sat  in  my  own,  alone,  and  silent,  pon- 
dering over  my  past  years.  I  recalled  the  different 
anniversaries  of  the  blessed  day,  beginning  with  the 
first  I  could  remember  when,  held  in  my  mother's 
arms,  I  removed  from  the  Christmas-tree  my  first 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  97 

ginger-bread  doll,  which  I  was  loath  to  eat  because 
of  its  beautiful  golden  hue. 

Then,  my  thoughts  turned  to  the  humble  cot  in  the 
Viszpa  Ogrod ;  and  I  wondered,  with  a  strange  trem- 
bling in  my  bosom,  if  the  little  Bethlehem  crib,  my 
Madus  had  prepared  for  the  reception  of  a  precious 
occupant,  now  held  its  treasure. 

The  monastery  bells  were  ringing  for  the  Christmas 
service;  on  the  bastion  a  long  procession  of  monks 
with  innumerable  lamps  was  moving  toward  the 
chapel. 

The  wind  was  driving  the  clouds  across  the  sky,  and 
hundreds  of  witch-forms  rioted  above  the  camp,  in  the 
faint  light  which  came  from  a  mist-veiled  moon. 

The  snow-fall  had  ceased ;  only  the  wind,  which  was 
scattering  the  storm-clouds,  still  swept  with  uriabated 
vigor  across  the  plain,  packing  the  fine  snow  more 
compactly  together. 

Suddenly,  amid  the  noise  of  carousing  and  shouting 
which  came  from  the  neighboring  tents,  I  heard  a 
sound  that  made  me  drop  quickly  to  my  knees, 
and  lay  my  ear  close  to  the  ground.  At  last !  At  last ! 
They  were  coming !  I  could  hear  distinctly  the  hoof- 
beats,  when  they  crossed  the  rocky  road  from  which 
the  wind  had  swept  the  snow.  Then,  the  sound 
ceased — they  were  come  to  the  plain  where  the  snow 
muffled  the  noise  of  the  hoofs.  Duke  Visznovieczky's 
dragoons  were  approaching  at  a  brisk  trot  to  the  assist- 
ance of  Berdiczov  monastery. 

I  did  not  wait  for  them  to  come  up.  In  the  dark  all 
cows  are  black  !  I  said  to  myself :  "It  will  be  useless 


98  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

to  try  to  convince  the  dragoon  who  raises  his  sword 
against  me  that  I  am  this  one,  and  not  the  other  one ! 
So  I  wrapped  myself  in  my  mantle,  slipped  from  the 
tent,  and  ran  fleetly  toward  the  monastery. 

When  I  paused  to  look  back,  after  the  relief  troop 
had  begun  the  attack  on  the  robber  camp,  I  saw  the 
witch-dance  I  had  seen  earlier,  it  had  descended  to  the 
earth,  and  with  it  was  joined  a  tumult  of  demons;  of 
black  forms,  and  white,  darting  hither  and  thither ;  of 
furious  sword  cuts;  frenzied  cries;  mad  flight,  and 
swift  pursuit ! 

The  early  morning  assault  was  successful.  The 
dragoons  routed  the  haidemaken-  without  a  shot. 
What  became  of  my  comrades  I  cannot  say,  for  I  con- 
tinued on  my  way  to  the  monastery,  where  I  shouted 
myself  hoarse  before  the  draw-bridge  was  lowered  to 
admit  me. 

Early  mass  had  just  been  concluded.  The  monks 
with  their  tall  candlesticks,  chanting  a  psalm  of  praise, 
led  the  procession  returning  from  the  chapel;  the 
cripples  hobbling  in  the  rear,  hummed  the  antiphony. 
But,  heil  didn't  the  devout  company  break  ranks 
quickly  when  I  appeared  before  them  with  the  an- 
nouncement : 

"Duke  Visznovieczky's  dragoons  are  come,  and  have 
attacked  the  haidemaken  camp !" 

The  psalm-singing  ceased  at  once;  and,  instead, 
everybody  was  shouting:  "To  arms  !  To  arms  !" 

Even  the  canopy-bearers  left  the  prior  in  the  middle 
of  the  court-yard,  and  ran  to  fetch  their  arms ;  while 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  99 

the  cripples  hopped  about  on  one  leg  and  brandished 
their  crutches  and  staves. 

By  this  time  we  could  see  that  the  beleaguerers  were 
fleeing  before  the  dragoons  in  every  direction.  The 
valiant  burgers  who,  at  the  beginning  of  the  siege,  had 
taken  refuge  in  the  monastery,  could  now  no  longer 
repress  their  heroic  feelings.  Seizing  whatever  would 
serve  as  a  weapon,  the  brave  fellows  dashed  across  the 
draw-bridge  and  sped  toward  the  field  of  battle ;  the 
reverend  fathers  followed  at  a  more  dignified  pace ;  the 
cripples  brought  up  the  rear,  and  assisted  the  worthy 
burgers  to  complete  the  work  of  destruction  begun  by 
the  dragoons,  by  cutting  off  the  feet  of  those  haide- 
maken  who  had  already  been  decapitated. 

Whether  Nyedzviedz  had  succeeded  in  escaping  the 
fate  of  many  of  his  comrades,  I  could  not  learn  then  ; 
nor  did  I  care !  I  was  too  thankful  that  I  had  been 
spared  from  destruction  and  delivered  from  the  clutch 
of  the  robber-band.  Therewith  ended  my  career  as  a 
haidemak. 

The  prisoner  here  paused  in  his  confession,  feeling 
that  he,  as  well  as  the  court,  needed  a  rest. 

"I  am  inclined  to  believe,"  observed  the  prince,  "that 
the  accused  rehabilitated  himself  through  his  valiant 
act.  So  much  as  he  sinned,  so  much  he  made  good! 
He  was  healed  by  a  miracle  of  God;  therefore,  it  be- 
hooves us  earthly  judges  to  consider  well  before  we 
pass  sentence  where  the  Heavenly  Judge  granted 
absolution." 

To  this  the  chair,   with    obvious   irritation,    made 


100  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

reply:  "If  your  highness  intends  to  permit  this  male- 
factor to  extenuate,  in  a  like  manner,  all  the  rest  of  his 
misdeeds,  when  he  gets  to  the  end  of  the  list  we  shall 
feel  that  he  deserves  canonization  instead  of  punish- 
ment." 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 


PART    III. 

IN  THE  SERVICE  OF  THE  DUKE. 


CHAPTER  I. 

MALACHI. 

The  next  day  the  prisoner  continued  his  confession : 

My  experience  at  Berdiczov  monastery,  my  deliv- 
erance from  destruction,  as  well  as  the  miraculous 
restoration  of  my  crippled  limb,  decided  me  to  adopt 
the  faith  of  the  holy  brotherhood. 

Their  solemn  ceremonies,  their  elevating  devotions, 
their  piety,  made  a  deep  impression  on  me;  but  the 
most  comforting  to  me  of  all  their  rites  was  that  of  the 
confessional. 

It  was  such  a  comfort  to  unbosom  myself  to  one  in 
whom  I  could  trust  implicitly ;  to  confide  in  him  all  the 
secrets  that  tortured  my  dreams  by  night,  and  my 
thoughts  by  day.  And  then,  to  receive  absolution — to 
get  back,  as  it  were,  the  bond  I  had  given  to  Satan ! 

One  day  was  not  long  enough  for  all  I  had  to  tell.  I 
could  have  spent  every  day  of  the  week  in  the  con- 
fessional, pouring  into  the  ear  of  the  good  Father 
Agapitus  the  sins  which  burdened  my  conscience.  And 

(101) 


102  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

one  day  I  confessed,  too,  that  I  was  becoming  weary 
of  the  life  in  the  monastery,  where  there  was  nothing 
to  do  but  tend  to  the  sick  all  day  long;  and  that  I 
wanted  to  go  back  to  the  world — if  not  to  my  former 
sinful  life. 

After  I  had  confessed,  I  ventured  to  ask  the  worthy 
father  to  recommend  me  to  some  Polish  noble,  with 
whom  I  should  have  little  work  and  much  amusement. 
There  were  many  such  places,  I  said,  where  the  ser- 
vices of  a  man  of  my  stamp  were  required. 

"My  dear  son,"  returned  the  worthy  father,  "I  can- 
not recommend  you  to  a  Christian  man  of  the  world, 
for,  although  I  could  tell  him  that  you  are  a  pious  con- 
frater  now,  I  could  not  say  that  you  have  always  been 
honest.  I  know  just  the  contrary,  and  I  cannot  give 
false  witness.  But  I  will  do  what  I  can  for  you.  Here 
is  the  crutch  you  left  with  us — the  gold  is  still  in  it. 
Take  it,  garb  yourself  in  beggar  raiment,  and  limp  to 
Lemberg,  where  lives  a  Master  Malachi  in  the  Jewish 
quarter  of  the  city.  You  need  only  to  inquire  for  him, 
and  you  will  be  directed  to  his  house.  He  is  a  wicked 
man,  in  league  with  Satan.  He  deserves  to  have  been 
sent  to  the  scaffold  long  ago — and  he  will  get  there 
should  the  Inquisition  be  established.  Malachi  is  the 
man  for  your  needs.  Tell  him  what  you  require,  he 
will  understand  you — especially  if  you  tell  him  what 
your  crutch  contains ! 

I  could  understand  clearly  that  a  pious  man  like 
Father  Agapitus  could  do  nothing  for  me— so  notori- 
ous a  sinner !  He  could  not  give  me  a  letter  of  recom- 
mendation, with  false  dates;  it  was  enough  if  he 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  103 

directed  me  where  to  find  an  accomplished  counter- 
feiter, who  could  supply  my  wants.  So,  I  kissed  hig 
hand  in  gratitude;  bade  him  farewell,  and,  with  my 
crutch  under  my  shoulder,  set  out  for  Lemberg, 
begging  my  way  so  that  no  one  should  suspect  that  I 
carried  in  my  crutch  the  wherewith  to  pay  for  food  and 
lodging. 

When  I  arrived  in  Lemberg  I  repaired  at  once  to 
the  Jews'  quarter,  where  the  streets  are  so  narrow  two 
wagons  cannot  pass  one  another.  Directly  I  entered 
the  principal  thoroughfare,  which  seemed  a  veritable 
rag-fair  from  one  end  to  the  other,  I  was  surrounded 
by  a  swarm  of  noisy  children. 

I  took  from  my  pocket  a  denarius,  held  it  up  before 
them,  and  said  I  would  give  it  to  the  lad  who  would 
conduct  me  to  the  house  of  Malachi,  whereupon  the 
youngsters  began  to  quarrel  as  to  which  of  them 
should  become  the  possessor  of  the  coin.  The  largest 
scamp  among  them,  who  succeeded  by  force  of  his 
superior  size  and  strength  to  vanquish  his  fellows, 
offered  himself  as  guide. 

He  led  me  a  pretty  chase,  through  numerous  by- 
ways and  alleys,  where  there  was  hardly  room  for  two 
persons  to  pass,  to  a  shop  in  front  of  which  was  sitting 
an  aged  dame,  with  her  cap  drawn  down  to  her  eye- 
brows. 

Said  my  guide,  after  I  had  placed  the  denarius  in  his 
hand: 

"This  woman  knows  where  Malachi  lives — she  will 
tell  you ;"  and  before  I  could  stop  him,  the  little  rascal 


104  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

was  off  down  the  street  as  fast  as  his  legs  could  carry 
him. 

I  turned  to  the  crone,  who  kept  nodding-  her  old 
head  as  if  she  were  assenting  to  anything  I  might  say 
to  her,  took  irom  my  pocket  a  Marien-groschen,  and 
holding  it  toward  her,  said : 

'"Here,  mother,  this  pretty  coin  shall  be  yours  if  you 
will  direct  me  to  Malachi's  house." 

She  nodded — as  much  as  to  say  "very  good;"  rose 
from  her  chair,  shuffled  into  the  shop,  where  she  filled 
a  small  vial  with  red  Polish  brandy.  This  she  handed 
to  -me  with  one  hand,  at  the  same  time  extending  the 
other  for  the  money. 

"I  don't  wan't  brandy — I  want  to  know  where 
Malachi  lives?"  I  shouted  at  the  top  of  my  voice. 

The  dame  trotted  back  into  the  shop  and  brought  a 
bottle  of  green  Russian  brandy. 

The  little  scamp  had  left  me  to  deal  with  a  deaf 
woman!  When  I  bawled  into  her  ear  for  the  third 
time  the  name  o!  Malachi,  she  fetched  from  the  shop  a 
packet  of  insect  powder  which  she  offered  in  exchange 
for  the  Marien-groschen. 

Then  I  bethought  me  of  an  expedient  which  is 
usually  successful  in  like  cases :  I  took  from  my  pocket 
a  crown  and  held  it  toward  the  dame.  This  cure  for 
deafness  proved  effective. 

"Oh,  you  want  to  find  Malachi?"  she  said  in  a  cau- 
tious whisper,  nodding  understandingly.  "Follow 
me." 

She  closed  and  locked  the  shop-door,  opened  a  little 
gate  at  the  corner  of  the  house,  led  me  across  a  vege- 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  105 

table  garden  hung  with  soiled  clothes;  across  a 
second;  thence  through  a  narrow  passage,  between 
two  old  buildings,  into  a  wood-shed;  from  there  into 
a  cellar;  then  over  a  swinging  bridge  across  an  ill- 
smelling  canal ;  and,  lastly,  through  a  long,  seemingly 
interminable  corridor,  at  the  end  of  which  she  knocked 
with  her  staff  at  a  wooden  door,  at  the  same  time  whis- 
pering in  my  ear,  and  taking  the  crown  from  my  hand : 

"I  can't  tell  you  where  Malachi  lives;  but  I  have 
brought  you  to  the  thaumaturgus,  who  knows  every- 
thing ;  he  will  tell  you  where  to  find  Malachi." 

The  door  opened,  and  I  saw  before  me  a  venerable 
man  with  silvery  hair  and  beard.  He  was  blind.  His 
tall  form  was  enveloped  in  a  black  silk  robe  girt  about 
the  waist  by  an  oriental  sash.  From  his  garb,  I  con- 
cluded that  a  coin  of  greater  value  wouU  be  necessary 
to  procure  the  information  I  desired. 

"Are  you  the  man  who  knows  everything?"  I  in- 
quired. 

The  old  gentleman  was  not  in  the  least  chary  of 
words.  With  great  readiness  he  declared  that  he 
understood  the  language  of  the  birds  of  the  air;  the 
speech  of  the  beasts  of-  the  field ;  that  he  could  con- 
verse with  dragons ;  could  discover  subterranean 
springs ;  could  tell  any  man  whether  or  no  he  was  the 
son  of  his  father;  could  even  understand  the  tongue 
in  which  demons  spake — " 

"But,"  I  interrupted,  "I  don't  want  to  know  any  of 
these  things.  If  you  will  tell  me  where  Malachi  lives, 
I  will  pay  for  the  information." 

"Ah,  my  son!"  he  responded,  turning  his  sightless 


106  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

eyes  heavenward;  "that  is  a  difficult  question  to  ans- 
wer. There  are  in  this  world  as  many  Malachis  as 
there  are  flowers  in  the  field,  and  stars  in  the  sky. 
There  are  seventy-seven  in  this  very  city;  a  Malachi 
Mizraim  ;  a  Malachi  Meschugge ;  a  Malachi  Choschen ; 
Malachi  Pinkas ;  Malachi  Honnowas — How  do  I 
know  which  Malachi  you  want?" 

"I  want  the  one  who  is  a — counterfeiter,"  I  ans- 
wered, with  some  hesitation. 

"Ah,  my  son !"  again  ejaculated  the  venerable  sage, 
shaking  his  head  sadly,  "how  sorry  I  am  to  hear  that 
you  are  on  such  evil  ways !  All  the  Malachis  with 
whom  I  have  to  do  are  honest,  God-fearing  men." 

I  saw  plainly  that  I  should  have  to  assist  the  old 
gentleman's  memory;  I  pressed  a  gold  coin  into  his 
palm.  He  turned  it  over  and  over  in  his  fingers ; 
tested  it  in  various  ways  ;  and,  after  convincing  himself 
that  it  was  genuine,  he  delivered  this  apothegmatic 
solution  of  the  riddle : 

"My  son,  he  whom  you  seek,  I  cannot  find.  I  have 
never  seen  him — I  am  blind.  We  will  consult  the 
Miracle." 

He  stepped  back  into  the  room,  to  the  table,  where 
he  groped  about  with  his  hands  among  the  different 
objects,  until  he  found  a  long  steel  needle.  This  he 
thrust  between  the  leaves  of  a  heavy  book  lying  on  the 
table,  opened  it,  and  placing  his  forefinger  at  the  point 
of  the  needle,  where  it  rested  on  the  page,  said,  in  a 
prophetic  tone: 

"He  whom  the  Miracle  designates  is  Ben  Malachi 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  107 

Peixoto,  the  Portuguese — not  I,  but  the  Miracle  says 
so." 

"And  where  shall  I  find  this  Portuguese?"  I  asked. 

"When  you  go  from  the  door  of  my  dwelling,  you 
will  find  his  directly  opposite.  Knock  twice,  then 
once,  then  twice  again,  and  you  will  be  admitted.  And 
now,  my  son,  go  your  way  in  peace  !" 

A  stocky  youth,  with  a  candle,  conducted  me  down 
a  dark  stairway,  opened  the  door,  and  I  found  myself 
in  the  same  street  from  which  I  had  started  on  my 
quest.  Malachi's  house  was  the  first  one  on  the  cor- 
ner. I  had  been  led  a  tramp,  for  half  a  day,  hither  and 
thither,  up  and  down,  through  the  entire  Ghetto,  to 
reach  the  first  house  in  it ! 

I  knocked  on  the  door  as  I  had  been  directed;  it 
was  opened  by  a  quince-colored  lad.  I  cannot  say  for 
certain  whether  it  was  a  lad  or  a  lass,  I  think,  though, 
it  was  a  lad.  I  could  not  understand  the  language  he 
spoke — indeed,  I  don't  believe  it  was  a  language  at  all ! 
He  conducted  me  up  a  creaking  staircase,  into  a  dark- 
ened room,  in  the  corner  of  which  crouched  a  human 
form  with  its  back  to  the  door.  He  did  not  turn  at 
my  entrance,  but  kept  his  face  turned  from  me  all  the 
time  I  was  in  the  room. 

In  front  of  him  was  a  mirror  in  which  he  could  see 
my  reflection.  The  fleeting  glimpse  I  caught  of  his 
face  in  the  glass,  told  me  that  the  mysterious  creature 
had  no  beard ;  his  face  was  quite  smooth,  which  I  be- 
lieve is  the  fashion  among  Portuguese  Jews;  it  had 
been  embrocated  with  orpiment,  which  eats  off  the  hair 


108  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

of  the  beard — a  Mosaic  law  prohibiting  the  use  of 
metal  to  remove  hair  from  the  face. 

"Is  Malachi  at  home?"  I  inquired. 

"Malachi  is  at  home;  what  do  you  want  of  him?" 

The  man  spoke  in  the  third  person,  so  that  I  could 
not  have  sworn  that  he  to  whom  I  addressed  my  in- 
quiries was  Malachi  or  not. 

"I  will  tell  you  my  errand  as  briefly  as  possible," 
said  I.  "I  want  to  secure  a  position  in  the  household 
of  Duke  Visznovieczky,  and  require  a  patent  of  no- 
bility to  certify  to  my  noble  birth.  I  also  want  an 
academic  testimonial ;  a  certificate  of  baptism  and  con- 
firmation in  the  Roman  Catholic  Church;  and,  lastly, 
I  want  a  letter  of  recommendation  from  some  grand 
duke  or  other,  which  testifies  to  my  erudition,  and 
skill  in  all  the  sciences,  as  well  as  to  my  excellent  char- 
acter. Of  course  I  don't  expect  you  to  furnish  me 
with  all  these  documents  for  nothing.  I  am  willing 
to  pay  your  price  for  them.  How  much  do  you  ask?'* 

The  man  replied  to  my  reflection  in  the  mirror: 
"Malachi's  answer  to  your  insolent  request  is:  You 
have  applied  to  the  wrong  person.  Malachi  does  not 
meddle  with  such  criminal  doings.  Moreover, 
Malachi  has  nothing  whatever  to  do  with  ragged  beg- 
gars like  yourself.  If  you  desire  to  become  such  a 
knight  as  you  describe,  and  have  the  money  to  pay  for 
the  transformation,  go  to  Malachi's  cousin,  Malchus, 
the  tailor,  who  sells  gentlemen's  clothing.  He  lives  on 
the  corner  of  Bethel  street,  beside  the  fountain.  From 
him  you  can  buy  all  manner  of  fine  raiment.  Malchus 
will  transform  you  to  a  noble  knight — if  you  have  the 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  109 

money  to  pay  for  it.  And  now  be  gone  from  here, 
and  don't  come  back  again,  for  Malachi  is  an  honest 
man  whose  lips  do  not  utter  falsehoods ;  his  fingers 
have  never  been  stained  with  the  ink  of  forgery." 

Firmly  believing  that  he  was  the  Malachi  I  sought, 
I  departed  from  his  house  with  a  disappointed  heart, 
and  betook  myself  to  Bethel  street,  to  the  house  beside 
the  fountain,  where  I  found  Malchus  the  tailor.  I 
would  at  least  exchange  my  beggar's  garb  for  the  rai- 
ment of  a  gentleman. 

"How  glad  I  am  to  see  your  lordship  again!"  ex- 
claimed the  little  man,  as  I  stepped  into  his  door.  "May 
I  become  as  the  dust  of  the  street,  if  it  doesn't  seem  a 
hundred  years  since  I  saw  you  last!  But,  does  your 
lordship  imagine  I  could  fail  to  recognize  the  noble 
knight  Zdenko  Kochanovszki,  who,  in  fulfillment  of  a 
vow,  journeyed  on  foot,  and  garbed  as  a  pilgrim,  to 
Jerusalem  and  back?  Have  not  I,  Malchus  the  tailor, 
eyes  to  see?  I'll  wager  my  head  against  a  button,  that 
nobody  but  myself  would  recognize  your  lordship  in 
those  ragged  garments.  Could  the  beautiful  Persida, 
from  whom  your  lordship  received  the  magnificent 
wreath  at  the  tournament,  see  you  now,  she  would  say : 
'Give  this  ragged  beggar  a  penny,  and  drive  him  away/ 
She  is  a  duchess  now,  the  wife  of  the  powerful  Duke 
Visznovieczki.  But  /  have  not  forgotten  your  lord- 
ship ;  I  still  have  the  clothes  your  lordship  left  in 
pledge  with  me — also  the  embroidered  leather-belt 
with  the  bag  containing  the  documents.  I  kept  them 
all,  safely  concealed,  for  I  knew  your  lordship,  the 


110  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

brave  and  noble  Zdenko  Kochanovszki,  would  return 
from  the  holy  land  and  redeem  his  pledge." 

I  saw  at  once  that  I  should  have  to  accept  the  per- 
sonality thrust  upon  me  by  the  loquacious  little  tailor, 
and  call  myself  Zdenko  Kochanovszki';  and  when  I 
found  how  admirably  the  puissant  knight's  cast-off 
garments  fitted  me,  I  no  longer  hesiated  to  take  pos- 
session of  his  name  also. 

And  that  is  how  I  became  Zdenko  Kochanovszki. 
When  I  was  completely  garbed — and  a  stately  mazar, 
I  looked  in  the  knight's  habiliments ! — I  asked  Mal- 
chus  what  was  to  pay. 

"Why,  surely  your  lordship  remembers  the  sum  I 
advanced  on  the  clothes?  Of  course,  I  did  not  count 
in  the  loan  the  jeweled  clasps  your  lordship  desired  to 
be  sent  to  the  beautiful  Persida ;  so  you  owe  me  only 
a  round  hundred  ducats — " 

"A  hundred  ducats?''  I  repeated  in  consternation. 
"Why  there  isn't  in  all  Poland  a  waywode  who  can 
boast  of  so  costly  a  suit  of  clothes/' 

Malchus  smiled  slyly:  "That  is  very  true,  my  lord, 
and  there  is  not  in  all  Poland  a  magnate  who  can  boast 
of  more  valuable  documents  than  those  in  the  bag 
attached  to  your  lordship's  leather-belt.  When  your 
lordship  left  them  with  me  and  charged  me  to  care  for 
them  as  for  the  apple  of  my  eye,  I  knew  they  must  be 
of  great  importance.  So  I  have  kept  them  safely  con- 
cealed all  these  years.  I  don't  know  what  the  papers 
contain  as  I  can  read  only  what  I  write  with  my  own 
hand.  I  don't  understand  Latin,  or  Greek ;  and  I 
don't  know  how  to  read  from  left  to  right;  conse- 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD  111 

quently  your  lordship  may  believe  me  when  I  say  I 
have  not  read  the  papers.  Your  lordship  will  find 
everything  in  the  bag  just  as  when  it  was  placed  in  my 
hands  for  safe  keeping." 

I  opened  the  bag,  and,  on  examining  the  documents, 
found  to  my  surprise  and  delight  that  they  were  just 
what  I  wanted.  There  was  a  patent  of  nobility,  with  a 
Turk's  head  in  the  crest — (concerning  the  Turk's  head 
I  might  justly  have  appropriated  it  for  my  own 
escutcheon,  only  I  had  not  come  into  possession  of  it 
on  the  battlefield !)  There  was  also  an  academic  cer- 
tificate, from  the  Rector  of  Sarbonne,  with  the  bacca-. 
laureate  degree;  also  certificates  of  baptism  and  con- 
firmation, signed  by  the  bishop  of  Cracow ;  a  testi- 
monial of  valor  from  the  imperial  commander-in-chief, 
Montecucculi ;  and  a  pardon  from  the  patriarch  of 
Jerusalem — such  as  are  bestowed  on  pilgrims  to  the 
Holy  Sepulchre — all  of  which  were  the  property  of 
Zdenko  Kochanovszki — who  I  was  ! 

Malchus  continued  to  smile  slyly  while  I  was  exam- 
ining the  documents,  and  when  I  had  read  the  last  one 
he  said : 

"Doesn't  your  lordship  think  these  handsome 
clothes  are  worth  one  hundred  ducats?" 

I  gave  him  a  hearty  slap  on  the  back ;  then  counted 
out  a  "round  hundred  ducats."  The  clothes  were  not 
worth  one-tenth  that  sum,  but  I  was  quite  satisfied  with 
my  purchase. 

I  was  now  fully  equipped  for  my  entrance  to  the 
ducal  palace ;  as  Zdenko  Kochanovszki  I  might  with- 
out hesitation  seek  admittance  anywhere. 


112  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

He  to  whom  the  name  rightly  belonged  had  disap- 
peared eight  years  before,  and  had  most  likely  lost  his 
life  in  the  Holy  Land,  or  in  the  battle  with  the  infidels 
in  Hungary.  Whoever  still  remembered  the  beardless 
youth,  would  not  wonder  at  the  great  change  eight 
years  of  hardship  and  danger  had  made  in  him ;  and 
would  expect  to  find  the  man  a  different  looking  per- 
son from  the  boy.  As  for  my  looks — I  doubt  if  my 
own  mother  would  have  recognized  me. 

The  duke  was  an  old  man,  of  a  girth  so  enormous 
that  he  was  obliged  to  wear  a  broad  surcingle  as  sup- 
port to  his  rotund  paunch.  His  hair  and  beard  were 
gray  on  the  right  s-ide,  but  black  on  the  left,  which  gave 
him  a  very  peculiar  appearance. 

When  I  presented  myself  before  him,  he  seized  both 
my  hands,  and  exclaimed : 

"What!  Zdenko  Kochanovszki  back  again?  The 
devil !  What  a  man  you  are  grown !  Do  you  remem- 
ber what  we  did  at  parting?" 

I  was  confused  for  a  moment :  how  was  I  to  remem- 
ber what  I  had  never  known?  However,  I  had  to 
reply,  so  I  stammered  what  I  thought  the  most  proba- 
ble: 

"We  drank  to  each  other,  your  grace." 

"By  heaven,  you  are  right,  lad!  That  is  what  we 
did  !  But,  do  you  also  remember  our  wager?" 

I  ventured  another  guess,  and  answered: 

"Each  wagered  he  could  drink  the  other  under  the 
table." 

"Ha,  ha,  ha !  Right — right !"  shouted  his  grace,  em- 
bracing and  kissing  me.  "That's  what  we  wagered— 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  113 

and  the  devil  fly  away  with  me  if  I  don't  match  you 
again  this  very  moment!  Ho,  there,  fetch  the  bra- 
tina." 

The  bratina  is  a  huge  golden  beaker  that  holds  two 
quarts.  This  was  brought  to  me,  filled  with  Hegyal- 
janer  wine. 

Now,  I  had  fasted  for  many  hours,  and  was  both 
hungry  and  thirsty,  so  that  it  did  not  require  much  of 
an  effort  on  my  part  to  empty  the  bratina  at  a  draught 
— to  the  supernaculum ! 

"The  devil  fetch  me !"  roared  the  jovial  duke.  "If  I 
had  not  recognized  you  already,  I  should  know  you 
now !" 

I  had  no  difficulty  drinking  his  grace  under  the 
table ;  and  from  that  hour  I  became  an  important  mem- 
ber of  his  household. 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 


CHAPTER  II. 
PERSIDA. 

"Cnmen  falsi"  dictated  the  chair  to  the  notary. 

"But" —  the  prince  made  haste  to  add — "But,  im- 
mediatum,  not  spontaneum.  The  accused  was  led  to 
the  indirect  committal  of  the  act  by  the  instructions  of 
Father  Agapitus ;  the  real  criminal  is  a  Jew — it  is  he 
who  deserves  the  stake.  Therefore,  the  prisoner's 
transgression  may  be  remitted." 

"If  this  continues,"  grumblingly  commented  the 
chair,  "the  prisoner  will  surely  talk  himself  out  of  every 
one  of  his  crimes.  Well" —  addressing  himself  to  the 
accused — "I  don't  know  what  to  call  you,  but  for  the 
time  being  Zdenko  Kochanovszki,  continue." 

Under  that  name,  your  honor,  resumed  Hugo,  I 
lived  the  most  memorable  days  of  my  life.  I  was 
treated  by  the  duke  as  a  good  comrade  and  familiar 
friend.  We  hunted  together  for  days  in  the  ducal 
forests  slaying  the  wild  bulls  and  bears  by  the  hun- 
dreds ;  and  when  we  returned  to  the  palace  the  merry- 
making began.  There  would  be  feasting  and  drink- 
ing; the  most  enchanting  music  by  a  band  of  Bohe- 
mian players ;  the  court-fools  would  amuse  us  with  all 
sorts  of  buffoonery ;  and  when  any  of  the  jovial  com- 
pany succumbed  to  the  beaker  and  tumbled  under  the 
table  the  attendants  carried  them  to  bed.  Not  infre- 
quently it  happened  that  his  grace  and  myself  would 
(114) 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  115 

be  the  only  two  left  at  the  table — we  being  able  to 
stand  more  than  the  others. 

At  times,  too,  I  would  entertain  the  company  by 
relating  the  most  wonderful  tales  of  my  pilgrimage, 
which  were  listened  to  with  close  attention. 

In  all  this  time  I  had  not  seen  a  single  woman  about 
the  palace. 

The  grand-duchess  was  absent  on  a  pilgrimage  to 
Berdiczov,  in  fulfillment  of  a  vow.  I  learned  from  one 
of  the  guests  that  the  duke's  marriage  had  not  been 
blessed  with  an  heir,  and  this  was  why  the  duchess 
had  undertaken  the  devout  journey.  As  she  knew  she 
should  be  absent  several  weeks,  she  took  with  her  all 
the  women  servants,  as  well  as  her  ladies-in-waiting — 
from  which  I  guessed  the  fair  Persida  to  be  a  shrewd, 
as  well  as  a  beautiful  woman. 

I  waited  her  grace's  return  with  no  little  apprehen- 
sion, for,  with  the  exception  of  the  grand  duke  himself, 
every  one  about  the  palace  ]<new  that  Zdenko  Kocha- 
novszki  had  been  a  devoted  admirer  of  the  lady  before 
her  marriage.  Indeed,  it  was  said  that  her  marriage 
to  the  rich  old  duke  had  sent  the  youthful  Zdenko  on 
his  pilgrimage. 

That  all  this  was  unknown  to  his  grace  was  certain, 
else  the  reception  accorded  to  me,  whom  he  believed 
to  be  his  former  boon  companion,  would  not  have  been 
so  cordial. 

There  would  be  some  sport  when  the  lady  returned 
home. 

Would  she,  too,  see  in  me  her  quondam  admirer? 
What  would  happen  to  me  if  the  eyes  of  a  loving 


116  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

woman  should  prove  more  keen  than  those  of  her 
husband?  What  would  be  the  result  if  she  saw 
through  my  masquerade?  If  she  should  say:  "Away 
with  this  rogue — he  is  a  deceiver !  /  know  what  dwells 
in  the  eyes  of  the  true  Zdenko,  for  I  have  looked  into 
them.  These  are  not  Zdenko's  eyes." 

And  again:  what  would  happen  if  she  should  be- 
lieve me  to  be  her  one-time  lover?  and  question  me  as 
her  husband  had  done :  "Do  you  remember  the  prom- 
ise we  gave  to  each  other?"  And,  suppose  I  should 
be  as  lucky  in  guessing  the  reply  as  before ! 


The  duke  spoke  boastfully  of  his  dragoon's  victory 
over  the  haidemaken  before  the  walls  of  Berdiczov 
monastery.  The  robbers  had  been  mowed  down  like 
grain ;  only  the  leader  and  a  few  of  his  men  had  escaped 
by  the  skin  of  their  teeth;  their  field-gun  had  been 
captured  and  the  gunner  hanged  on  one  of  the  tallest 
trees — your  honors  may  guess  that  I  took  good  care 
not  to  deny  this  statement ! 

I  praised  the  duke's  heroism,  and  listened  attentively 
to  his  tales  about  the  terrible  haidemaken,  as  if  I  had 
never  heard  of  them  before. 

At  last,  one  fine  day,  the  pilgrims  returned  from 
Berdiczov;  and  the  joyous  sound  of  women's  voices 
was  heard  in  the  palace.  Master  and  man  hastened 
to  welcome  the  fair  ones.  I  alone  had  no  one  to  greet. 

I  was  very  curious  to  see  what  manner  of  woman  the 
beautiful  Persida  might  be — she  for  whose  sake  the 
owner  of  my  name  had  gone  out  into  the  wide  world. 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  117 

The  duke  hastened  to  assist  her  from  the  carriage  on 
the  arrival  of  the  caravan.  She  was  very  graceful — 
tall,  with  a  pale  face,  large,  dark  languishing  eyes,  full 
red  lips,  and  coal  black  hair. 

When  her  spouse  pressed  his  moist  moustache  to 
her  lips,  she  made  a  grimace.  He  was  overjoyed  at 
her  return.  The  duke's  guests  and  attendants  wel- 
comed the  returned  duchess,  each  in  their  own  fashion ; 
the  former  pressed  their  lips  to  her  hand;  the  latter 
kissed  the  hem  of  her  robe.  I  did  not  want  my  first 
meeting  with  her  grace  to  take  place  in  the  presence 
of  the  entire  household ;  but  the  duke  called  me  from 
the  hall,  where  I  had  withdrawn,  and  said : 

"See  here,  my  love,  who  is  this?  Look  at  him,  and 
tell  me  if  you  recognize  the  lad?" 

I  was  afraid  to  meet  the  glance  which  scrutinized  my 
features — I  felt  that  I  should  be  compelled  to  blurt 
out: 

"I  am  Baran,  gunner  of  the  haidemaken." 

"You  don't  recognize  him,  do  you?"  again  said  the 
duke.  "I  knew  you  wouldn't.  "Pis  our  long  absent 
comrade  Zdenko  Kochanovszki." 

For  one  single  instant  I  saw  into  that  woman's  soul. 
At  mention  of  my  name,  a  sudden  light  leapt  into  her 
eyes — a  world  of  passion  flamed  for  one  brief  instant. 

Her  husband  had  not  seen  it,  only  I.  Then  the 
beautiful  eyes  became  cold  again,  and  indifferent,  and 
the  queenly  head  was  gravely  bent  in  recognition  of 
an  old  acquaintance,  the  slender  fingers  were  extended 
for  the  formal  kiss  of  greeting. 

She  did  not  vouchsafe  another  glance  toward  me, 


118  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

but  turned  toward  the  duke,  laid  her  hand  on  his  arm, 
and  said  with  sudden  friendliness : 

"Comment  vous  portez-vous,  mon  petit  drdle?" 
Although  her  grace  took  no  further  notice  of  me,  I  saw 
my  way  clear  for  the  future. 

With  the  return  of  the  duchess  the  household  regu- 
lations underwent  a  complete  change.  The  noisy 
tipplers  received  their  congt;  the  nightly  carousals 
came  to  an  end.  Quite  a  different  mode  of  life  had 
been  prescribed  by  the  prior  of  the  monastery  for  the 
ducal  pair,  if  they  wished  his  blessing  to  have  the  de- 
sired effect.  All  fast  days  were  to  be  strictly  observed ; 
they  might  eat  only  sparingly  of  the  plainest  food — 
only  of  those  dishes  which  conduce  to  strength :  snails, 
frogs,  and  those  vegetables  which  grow  under  ground. 

This  sort  of  diet,  as  you  may  guess,  was  not  suited 
to  the  palates  of  the  duke's  guests.  One  after  another 
took  his  departure,  until  none  remained  but  myself; 
and  I  had  become  indispensable  to  his  grace,  because 
of  my  ability  to  amuse  him  with  adventurous  tales. 

Every  evening  the  duchess  would  send  for  me  to 
read  aloud  in  a  religious  book,  about  saints,  until  the 
duke  would  become  sleepy.  Her  grace  continued  to 
treat  me  with  extreme  reserve;  she  never  lifted  her 
eyes  to  mine  when  she  spoke  to  me,  but  always  kept 
them  lowered,  as  if  she  were  addressing  her  remarks 
to  my  boots. 

She  appeared  to  be  extraordinarily  pious  ;  she  would 
repeat  a  long  prayer  before  and  at  the  end  of  every 
meal.  She  never  called  me  by  name — always  "Sir." 
Indeed,  the  only  time  she  unbent  from  her  frigid  re- 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  119 

serve,  was,  when  she  patted  her  husband's  fat,  bearded 
cheek,  or  pulled  his  moustache,  to  restore  him  to  a 
good  humor ;  but  these  occasions  were  rare. 

Before  the  duke  retired  for  the  night,  the  duchess 
prepared  with  her  own  fair  hands  his  slumber  draught, 
the  recipe  for  which  she  had  received  from  the  prior 
of  Berdiczov  monastery.  It  was  composed  of  all  sorts 
of  costly  spices — an  enumeration  of  which  I  may  re- 
peat later,  should  I  take  up  the  trade  of  concocting 
various  potations,  the  efficacy  of  which  may  not  be 
doubted. 

The  chief  ingredient  of  the  duke's  sleeping  potion 
was  hot,  red  wine ;  and  he  was  wont  to  smack  his  lips 
and  exclaim  after  he  had  emptied  the  glass : 

"Ah ! — my  love,  that  has  quite  rejuvenated  me." 
He  would  spring  lightly  as  a  youth  from  his  arm-chair, 
take  his  wife's  hand,  and  gallantly  conduct  her  to  their 
private  chambers,  leaving  me  to  the  solitary  perusal  of 
the  pious  volume — to  learn  what  had  happened  to  St. 
Genevieve,  when  Attila's  Huns  besieged  Paris. 

One  evening  we  were  engaged  as  usual  with  our 
instructive  reading.  The  duke  and  his  wife  were 
seated  in  front  of  the  fire-place ;  I,  as  always,  occupied 
a  chair  at  the  table  on  which  rested  the  ponderous 
"History  of  the  Saints  and  Martyrs."  I  had  been  read- 
ing for  an  hour  and  more,  how  St.  Genevieve  had  re- 
lieved Paris  a  second  time  from  famine,  when  the  duke 
suddenly  interrupted  to  say  he  was  so  thirsty  he  must 
beg  that  his  nightly  potion  be  given  to  him  at  once. 
His  wife  prepared  it  for  him ;  but,  instead  of  rising  to 
retire  to  his  own  rooms  as  usual,  after  he  had  emptied 


120  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

the  glass,  he  settled  himself  back  in  his  chair,  clasped 
his  hands  over  his  paunch,  and  in  a  few  minutes  his 
powerful  snoring  again  interrupted  the  reading. 

The  duchess  looked  at  him  for  several  moments  with 
an  indescribable  expression  on  her  lovely  face — a  mix- 
ture of  loathing,  rage,  and  contempt ;  then,  she  sprang 
to  her  feef,  came  swiftly  toward  the  table  where  I  was 
sitting,  and  gave  it  so  vigorous  a  thrust  with  her  foot 
that  it  toppled  over  and  fell,  together  with  the  Saints 
and  Martyrs,  to  the  floor  with  a  loud  noise.  His  grace 
did  not  stir ;  his  snores  continued  with  unabated  vigor. 

Before  I  had  recovered  from  my  astonishment  at  her 
grace's  behavior,  she  seated  herself  on  my  knee  and 
flung  her  arms  around  my  neck : 

"So  you  have  come  back  to  me,  Zdenko?  Tell  me, 
do  you  still  love  me?"  she  asked  in  a  passionate  whis- 
per, at  the  same  time  making  it  impossible  for  me  to 
reply— 

"Stop !"  here  interrupted  the  chair :  "I  don't  quite 
understand  how  that  could  be?" 

"I  do,"  promptly,  and  succinctly  interposed  the 
prince.  "Continue,  prisoner,  what  happened  next?" 

I  hardly  know  how  to  tell  it,  your  highness.  It 
was  like  a  dream  of  paradise !  I  knew  that  every  kiss 
I  received  and  returned  was  deceit,  robbery,  sacrilege ; 
I  knew  I  was  cheating  the  house  which  sheltered  me ; 
the  master  of  the  house  who  fed  me ;  the  unknown  man 
whose  name  I  bore — the  woman — God — the  devil — 
all — all.  And  yet,  were  you  to  ask  me  what  I  should 
do  were  I  to  be  placed  in  the  same  situation  again,  I 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  121 

should  reply :  "Just  what  I  did  then — and  if  it  cost  me 
my  life!" 

"Hardened  reprobate !"  exclaimed  the  chair  in  a  tone 
of  reprimand.  Then  he  dictated  to  the  notary: 
"Adulterium  cum  stellionatum — " 

"But,"  hastily  interposed  the  prince,  "he  did  not 
begin  it.  In  this  case,  as  in  that  of  Father  Adam: 
the  woman  was  to  blame.  The  prisoner  will  con- 
tinue." 

I  know  it  was  a  great  crime — I  know  it  very  well, 
and  it  oppresses  my  soul  to  this  day,  although  I  have 
received  absolution  for  it.  In  that  moment  of  oblivion 
to  all  things  earthly,  the  lovely  Persida  whispered  in 
my  ear: 

"Zdenko,  if  you  could  journey  to  the  Holy  Land  for 
love  of  me  you  could  also  endure  a  season  of  purgatory 
for  my  sake,  could  you  not?" 

Without  stopping  to  consider,  I  answered: 

"Certainly  I  could  1" 

"Very  well,  then,  do  not  confess  this  sin  which  is 
half  mine.  Do  not  confide  it  to  priest,  or  saint,  for  no 
matter  to  whom  you  might  confess,  misfortune  would 
come  to  me  as  well  as  to  you." 

I  promised  not  to  confess  the  sin ;  but  I  went  about 
with  it  weighting  my  soul,  much  as  a  wounded  stag 
roams  the  forest  with  a  dart  in  his  vitals. 

The  old  duke  at  last  became  so  devout  that  he  com- 
pelled every  member  of  his  household  to  repair  to  the 
confessional  in  his  private  chapel,  every  fast  day. 
There  was  nothing  to  be  seen  of  the  priest  who  re- 
ceived the  penitents,  but  his  hand,  in  which  he  held  a 


122  TOLD  BY  7 HE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

long  ivory  wand  with  which  he  would  touch  the 
penitent  as  a  sign  that  absolution  had  been  granted. 

The  duke  confessed  first ;  after  him  the  duchess ; 
then  I,  the  house-friend,  and  major-domo  of  the  ducal 
household.  -  When  my  turn  came,  I  took  my  place 
before  the  lattice  and  said  to  the  confessor:  "Father, 
will  you  give  me  your  word  of  honor  that  you  will 
never  tell  what  I  confess  to  you?" 

"Don't  ask  such  silly  questions,  my  son,"  he  replied. 
"Don't  you  know  that  the  secrets  of  the  confessional 
are  inviolably  sacred?" 

"But,  suppose  you  should  tell  them  sometime?"  I 
persisted. 

"Then  I  should  be  burned  at  the  stake." 

"Has  it  never  happened  that  a  priest  betrayed  the 
secrets  confided  to  him  in  the  confessional?"  I  asked 
again. 

"Such  a  case  is  not  on  record,  my  son.  Not  even 
the  confession  of  a  murderer  may  be  revealed,  though 
the  priest  knows  that  an  innocent  man  will  be  hanged 
for  the  crime.  He  dare  not  speak  to  prevent  the  law 
from  committing  another  murder.  On  the  other  hand, 
many  a  priest  has  suffered  martyrdom  rather  than  be- 
tray the  secrets  confided  to  him.  An  illustrious 
example  is  Saint  Nepomuck,  of  whom  I  dare  say  you 
have  heard?" 

"Yes,  I  have  read  about  John  Nepomucene ;  but  are 
you  a  saint  of  that  order?" 

"The  vows  I  have  taken,  my  son,  are  the  same  he 
took." 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  123 

"That  is  not  enough,  father ;  you  must  swear  to  me 
that  you  will  never  reveal  what  I  tell  you." 

And  his  reverence  had  to  yield  to  my  importunate 
request  before  I  would  make  my  confession  to  him. 
After  he  had  solemnly  sworn  never  to  revea1  what  I 
should  tell  him,  I  made  a  clean  breast  of  everything — 
and  a  rare  list  it  was  I  can  tell  you ! 

At  the  last  transgression,  however,  I  made  a  pause. 
I  remembered  what  Persida  had  said  to  me.  And  yet, 
the  sin  I  shared  with  her  was  the  very  one  that  most 
oppressed  my  soul. 

The  father  noticed  my  hesitation,  and  said : 

"My  son,  you  are  keeping  back  something.  You 
have  not  told  me  everything.  It  is  not  likely  that  a 
stately  young  gentleman  like  yourself  lives  only  on 
caraway-soup !  There  are  many  handsome  wromen  in 
this  city ;  every  one  of  them  confesses  her  foibles — you, 
surely,  are  not  the  only  saint  about  here !  Remember, 
if  you  withhold  but  a  single  transgression,  your  tor- 
tures in  purgatory  will  be  the  same  as  for  nine-hundred 
and  ninety-nine." 

The  reverend  father  continued  to  threaten  me  with 
purgatorial  fires,  until  at  last  I  confided  in  him  the 
secret  which  was  only  half  mine.  I  had  no  sooner 
done  so  than  I  regretted  it;  I  would  have  given  any- 
thing could  I  have  recalled  my  words — nay,  I  would 
willingly  have  journeyed  straightway  to  purgatory,  as 
I  had  told  Persida  I  would,  rather  than  betray  the 
secret  we  shared  together.  But  the  secrets  of  a  sinful 
love  have  wings — they  will  escape  somehow. 

When  I  bent  forward  to  receive  the  reverend  father's 


124  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

benediction,  he  gave  me  such  a  thump  on  the  head 
with  his  wand  that  the  spot  remained  sore  to  the  touch 
for  several  days. 

"He  absolves  one  with  a  will,  and  no  mistake!"  I 
said  to  myself  as  I  rose  to  go  my  way.  It  occurred  to 
me  for  an  instant,  that  it  would  be  exceedingly  comical 
if,  instead  of  a  priest,  it  had  been  the  duke  who  received 
my  confession.  I  turned  to  look  toward  his  grace's 
arm-chair,  and  was  relieved  to  see  that  his  burly  form 
occupied  it,  and  that  he  was  wrapped  in  devout  slum- 
ber. 

THE  IRON  NECKLACE. 

Freed  from  the  burden  of  my  transgressions,  I  pro- 
ceeded to  do  what  is  usually  done  by  the  prodigal  sons 
who  have  been  relieved  of  their  old  debts — I  set  about 
at  once  to  make  new  ones. 

I  looked  forward  with  impatience  for  evening  to  ar- 
rive, for  the  hour  of  instructive  reading  in  the  book 
of  Saints  and  Martyrs. 

On  this  particular  evening  the  duke  was  even  more 
friendly  toward  me  than  usual ;  he  jested  with  me,  and 
frequently  compelled  me  to  exchange  glasses  with  him 
as  a  sign  of  his  cordial  friendship. 

When  the  hour  arrived  for  the  duchess  to  prepare 
the  "rejuvenating  sleeping  potion,"  his  grace  became 
actually  boisterous;  his  fat  face  grew  crimson,  his 
rotund  paunch  shook  like  jelly,  with  his  incessant 
laughter. 

"See  here,  comrade,"  he  exclaimed,  taking  from  his 
wife's  hand  the  goblet  in  which  the  hot,  spiced  wine 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  125 

was  steaming,  "this  is  a  drink  of  paradise!  When  I 
have  emptied  it  into  my  stomach,  I  fly  direct  to  para- 
dise— not  the  one  described  by  our  holy  men,  where 
all  the  men  are  old,  and  all  the  women  pious ;  where 
there  is  neither  eating  nor  drinking-  and  where  there 
are  no  amusements  save  harp-playing  and  psalm  sing- 
ing— no,  I  fly  straightway  to  the  improved  paradise  of 
the  Mohammedans,  where  there  is  wine  to  drink  and 
women  to  admire.  There  an  enchanting  Greek  Hetdre 
offers  you  the  wine  of  Cyprus ;  the  Roman  bacchante 
offers  Falernian  wine ;  the  Spanish  donna  serves 
Maderia;  the  Lesbian  siren  gives  you  nectar;  the 
Persian  bayadere  brings  Shiraz ;  the  Wallachian  fairy, 
Tokay;  and  the  negress  Abelera  dips  up  sparkling 
Bordeaux  in  the  hollow  of  her  dusky  palm  and  holds 
it  to  your  lips — each  more  beautiful  than  the  other, 
until  at  last  you  cannot  decide  which  of  the  wines  is  the 
most  delicious.  That  is  7  cannot,  for  you  have  not 
yet  made  the  journey.  But  you  shall ;  for  are  not  we 
good  comrades — you  and  I?  Is  it  not  meet  that  I 
should  let  my  heart's  brother  enjoy  paradisal  delights 
with  me?  To  be  sure  it  is!  Very  good!  You  shall 
go  in  my  stead  this  very  evening  to  Mohammed's  para- 
dise— but  only  this  once,  mind  you !  Here,  take  the 
glass,  empty  it  to  the  dregs !"  I  was  exceedingly  em- 
barrassed ;  I  looked  questioningly  toward  the  duchess, 
who  was  seated  on  the  arm  of  her  husband's  chair.  He 
could  not  see  her  nod  her  head  as  if  to  say,  "Do  as 
you  are  bid." 

I  took  the   goblet   and    emptied   it   to   the   dregs. 
Almost  immediately  I  was  overcome  by  a  languor  that 


126  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

seemed  to  transform  my  material  body  to  vapor.  I 
rose  from  the  earth  to  the  clouds  which  assumed  the 
most  fantastic  shapes ;  on  and  on  the  breeze  wafted  me ; 
over  enchanting  regions,  amid  talking  trees  and  sing- 
ing fruits ;  across  a  sea  of  radiant  light  swept  by  waves 
of  harmony — amid  music,  and  color,  and  perfumes, 
the  quintessence  of  sweetness,  amid  gorgeous  flames 
which  became  forms  of  transcendent  loveliness:  De- 
lilah ;  Bathsheba ;  Salome  ;  La'is  ;  Aspasia ;  Cleopatra ; 
Semiramis ;  Circe ;  and  the  dusky  Atalanta.  The 
seductive  forms  gathered  around  me;  they  pressed 
toward  me,  smiling  alluringly.  They  thrust  on  to 
every  one  of  my  fingers  rings  that  glittered  with  dia- 
monds, rubies,  sapphires,  until  my  hands  became  so 
heavy  I  could  not  lift  them.  Their  embraces  strangled 
me ;  their  kisses  burned  on  my  face  and  neck  like  fire ; 
the  dusky  Atalanta's  coral  lips  drew  the  blood  from 
my  veins — 

"Are  you  never  going  to  waken  from  your  satanic 
dream?"  impatiently  interrupted  the  chair. 

"Let  him  dream — it  is  rather  pleasant,"  interposed 
the  prince ;  but  Hugo  said : 

"I  am  awake.  The  place  in  which  I  found  myself, 
when  I  opened  my  eyes,  was  not  Mohammed's  para- 
dise, but  an  underground  dungeon,  the  walls  of  which 
were  dripping  with  moisture.  The  flickering  light  of 
a  small  lamp  faintly  illumined  the  narrow  cell ;  and  the 
rings  which  weighted  my  hands  were  heavy  iron  chains 
that  creaked  and  clinked  every  movement  I  made. 
The  kisses  which  burned  on  my  face  and  neck  were  not 
from  the  lips  of  Delilah,  Circe,  and  the  rest ;  but  from 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  127 

those  horrible  hundred-legged  creatures,  scolopendra, 
which  covered  my  body ;  and  the  dusky  Atalanta,  who 
drew  the  blood  from  my  neck,  was  nothing  less  than  a 
hideous  vampyre.  The  embraces  which  strangled  me 
were  not  from  the  white  arms  of  enchantresses,  but 
from  an  iron  band  two  inches  thick  and  three  fingers 
wide,  fastened  about  my  neck,  and  secured  to  a  ring 
in  the  wall  by  a  chain,  that  was  only  long  enough  to 
allow  me  to  reach  and  convey  to  my  mouth  the  mouldy 
bread  and  jug  of  water  placed  by  my  side — " 

"Served  you  right,  you  godless  miscreant!"  inter- 
polated the  chair  in  a  severe  tone.  "You  got  your 
just  deserts  at  last !" 

At  first — continued  the  prisoner — I  consoled  my- 
self with  the  foolish  thought  that  I  was  still  under  the 
influence  of  the  sleeping  potion.  I  remembered  that 
those  persons  who  eat  the  flesh  of  sharks  are  said  to 
have  such  dreams :  delightful  visions  at  first,  followed 
by  the  tortures  of  martyrdom. 

But  the  iron  neck-band  was  too  painful  a  reality  for 
me  to  remain  long  in  doubt  as  to  whether  I  was  awake, 
or  dreaming.  The  cold,  hard,  heavy  ring  betrothed 
me  to  death ! 

How  long  a  time  I  passed  in  thinking  over  what  had 
happened  I  can't  say ;  there  was  no  night,  no  day,  in 
that  dungeon;  nor  was  I  told  by  sleep  and  hunger 
when  it  was  midnight  or  noon. 

The  lamp  in  my  cell  was  a  perpetual  one,  for  the 
oil  did  not  grow  less ;  it  was  there,  doubtless,  to  reveal 
to  me  all  the  horrors  of  my  surroundings.  Reptiles, 
all  manner  of  creeping  and  crawling  creatures  moved 


128  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

over  the  stone  floor  and  walls ;  vampyres  hung  in  rows 
from  the  ceiling,  watching  me  with  their  garnet  eyes, 
ready  to  flash  down  on  me  the  moment  I  lost  con- 
sciousness in  sleep. 

At  last  a  sound  roused  me  from  the  stupor  into 
which  I  had  fallen ;  a  key  turned  in  the  lock,  the  iron 
door  opened,  and  a  tall  man,  whose  face  was  hidden 
by  a  capuchin,  entered,  with  a  jug  of  water  and  a  loaf 
of  bread. 

"Well,  my  lad,"  he  exclaimed,  on  seeing  that  I  had 
not  touched  the  bread  or  the  water  by  my  side.  "Do 
you  propose  to  starve  yourself?" 

His  voice  sounded  strangely  familiar ;  I  did  not  have 
to  trouble  my  brain  guessing  where  I  had  heard  it 
before ;  he  pushed  back  his  capuchin,  and  I  recognized 
the  haidemaken  priest  who  had  performed  the  cere- 
mony of  confirmation  over  me  in  the  cavern. 

"You  are  the  haidemaken  pater?"  I  whispered 
hoarsely,  not  trusting  myself  to  speak  aloud. 

"Then  you  recognize  me,  do  you?"  he  returned, 
laughing.  "I  had  an  idea  you  would  deny  all  knowl- 
edge of  our  former  comradeship." 

"Are  you  the  gaoler  here?"  I  asked. 

"The  gaoler?"  he  repeated,  laughing  again.  "Not 
by  a  good  deal!  I  am  the  court-confessor!"  He  sat 
down  on  the  stone  seat  to  which  I  was  chained,  and 
continued :  "I  dare  say  you  are  curious  to  learn  how  I 
come  to  be  here?  Well,  when  the  duke's  dragoons 
attacked  the  haidemaken  at  Berdiczov,  I  hastily  donned 
my  chasuble  and  capuchin,  trusting  to  the  vestments 
to  save  my  life,  which  they  did ;  but  I  was  taken  pris- 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  129 

oner  and  brought  to  the  duke.  I  could  not  deny  that 
I  was  a  haidemak,  but  his  grace  evidently  had  use  for 
a  person  like  myself,  for  he  said  to  me :  "You  deserve 
to  be  hanged,  reverend  father,  but  I  will  spare  your 
life  on  condition  that  you  accept  a  proposition  I  shall 
offer  you:  I  want  you  to  act  the  part  of  court-con- 
fessor for  a  season,  to  receive  the  confessions  of  those 
persons  I  shall  send  to  you.  I  suspect  my  wife  of 
infidelity,  but  cannot  find  out  who  is  the  partner  of  her 
guilt.  They  both  confess  to  the  court-chaplain  I  have 
no  doubt,  but  he  is  an  honest  old  saint  who  would  let 
himself  be  torn  to  pieces  rather  than  betray  the  secrets 
confided  to  him  in  the  confessional.  Now,  you  are  of 
a  different  pattern ;  it  will  not  matter  to  you  if  the  fires 
of  purgatory  are  heated  a  few  degrees  hotter  for  your 
purification.  If  you  don't  accept  my  conditions  you 
will  have  the  opportunity  at  once  of  testing  the  tem- 
perature of  purgatory ;  if  you  accept  you  shall  have  a 
respite.  What  do  you  say?  Will  you  become  my 
court-confessor  ?" 

"You  may  believe,  lad,  that  I  would  have  acceded  to 
a  much  more  difficult  proposition  in  order  to  save  my 
neck  from  the  gallows ;  so  I  became  confessor  to  the 
ducal  household.  When  I  saw  you  coming  toward  the 
confessional  I  recognized  you  at  once,  and  guessed 
that  you  would  have  some  pretty  sins  to  get  rid  of.  I 
was  not  surprised  when  you  told  me  of  your  sinful 
dalliance  with  the  beautiful  young  duchess ;  and  quite 
envied  your  good  fortune.  I  said  to  myself,  'I  will 
not  betray  the  lad ;  but  make  him  do  penance  for  the 
sin/  so  I  ordered  you  to  put  seven  dried  peas  in  each 


130  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

shoe  and  journey  on  foot  to  the  shrine  of  the  Holy 
Virgin  at  Berdiczov.  Had  you  been  content  to  do  as 
I  bade  you,  you  would  not  be  here  now ;  but  you 
began  to  haggle  with  me  about  the  peas — you  urged 
me  to  let  you  boil  them  before  you  put  them  into  your 
shoes ;  and,  to  win  my  indulgence,  you  told  me  of  the 
good  turn  you  had  done  the  monks  of  Berdiczov  by 
betraying  the  haidemaken  into  the  hands  of  the  duke's 
dragoons.  Ha !  but  didn't  I  want  to  fly  at  your  throat 
when  I  heard  that!  I  wanted  to  strangle  you,  I  was 
so  enraged  to  hear  that  it  was  you  who  had  betrayed 
us  and  frustrated  our  fine  plans  to  secure  the  monks' 
treasure.  However,  I  contented  myself  with  giving 
you  a  sound  rap  on  the  head  and  straightway  com- 
municated to  his  grace  what  you  had  confessed.  You 
have  got  for  your  reward  the  entire  ducal  property,  for 
you  are  chained  to  it  so  securely  you  cannot  get  away 
from  it." 

The  next  query  I  put  to  the  cursed  haidemaken 
priest  was:  "What  has  been  done  with  the  duchess?" 

"You  need  not  trouble  yourself  about  her  highness, 
my  son ;  the  duke  is  too  shrewd  a  man  of  the  world  to 
make  public  the  disgrace  of  his  house.  The  beautiful 
Persida  does  not  know  that  she  has  been  betrayed. 
The  causes  assigned  for  your  incarceration  are  for- 
gery; the  usurpation  of  the  name  of  a  noble  knight; 
and  for  being  a  member  of  a  robber  band — for  all  of 
which  you  deserve  death.  That  you  have  been  con- 
demned to  suffer  a  hundred  deaths  for  your  dalliance 
with  the  lovely  Persida,  instead  of  only  one  for  the 
transgressions  assigned,  no  one  will  ever  know.  As 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  131 

for  the  duchess :  one  of  these  fine  days  she  will,  after 
eating  a  peach  or  a  pear,  get  a  severe  colic  that  will 
result  in  her  death.  The  funeral  ceremonies  in  the 
Vieznovieczky  palace  will  be  most  imposing — and  that 
will  be  the  end  of  her  grace.  It  might  come  to  pass, 
however,  that  the  obsequies  of  his  grace  might  precede 
those  of  the  duchess.  It  depends  on  which  of  the 
ducal  pair  gets  the  better  of  the  other !  But,  you  have 
only  yourself  to  think  of,  my  son.  I  am  here  to  offer 
you  one  of  two  alternatives :  Ask  to  be  tried  before  a 
court  which  will  sentence  you  to  immediate  death  on 
the  wheel — unless  the  duke  out  of  compassion  for  a 
good  comrade  orders  your  head  to  be  cut  off.  The 
other  alternative  is:  Elect  to  remain  in  this  hole, 
chained  to  the  wall,  battling  with  vermin  while  you 
live,  and  becoming  food  for  them  when  the  breath 
leaves  your  body.  Tertium  non  datur" 

To  this  I  made  answer  that  I  preferred  to  be  exe- 
cuted without  delay,  even  were  I  to  be  broiled  on  a 
gridiron  over  a  slow  fire.  I  was  quite  ready  to  die. 

"Very  well,  my  son,  then  I  will  proceed  at  once  to 
administer  to  you  the  last  sacraments — " 

"Go  to  the  devil !"  I  cried  furiously,  when  he  ap- 
proached me  with  the  wafer  he  had  taken  from  his 
pocket.  "I  won't  have  any  more  of  your  cursed  mum- 
mery. You  are  no  better  than  I  am — you  too  are  sure 
to  go  to  hell !" 

"That  is  more  than  likely,  my  son,"  responded  the 
accursed  priest  composedly.  "The  only  difference 
between  us  is  in  the  manner  of  our  journeying  thither. 
You  will  travel  on  foot — I  on  wheels.  So,  don't  you 


132  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

think  it  would  be  well  to  let  me  give  you  a  lift  on  the 
way?  With  the  heavy  pack  of  sins  on  your  back  you 
might  hang  on  to  the  tail-board  of  my  wagon !" 

I  could  not  help  but  laugh  at  the  rascal,  so  I  said: 
"Very  well,  if  your  blessing  will  help  me  over  the  road 
more  quickly,  go  ahead  and  let's  have  it! — and  may 
the  devil  fly  away  with  you !" 

He  thrust  the  wafer  down  my  throat  and  I  had 
hardly  got  it  comfortably  swallowed  when  I  fell  into 
a  deep  sleep.  The  wafer  contained  a  powerful  nar- 
cotic. 

THE  WHITE  DOVE. 

In  my  death-like  sleep  I  still  saw  the  dungeon  walls, 
still  felt  the  iron  fetters  on  neck,  hands  and  feet.  In- 
stead of  the  tiny  lamp  flame,  however,  which  had  only 
dimly  lighted  the  musty  cell,  a  radiant  light  now  filled 
it — a  light  that  came  from  overhead.  When,  with 
great  difficulty,  I  lifted  my  face  toward  the  ceiling,  I 
beheld  an  ethereal  form  bending  above  me ;  her  white 
garments  gleamed  like  snow  under  brilliant  sunshine ; 
her  blue  mantle  was  like  the  starry  sky  of  evening. 
The  coronet  above  her  brow  was  like  the  crescent 
moon.  The  face  was  so  radiant  I  could  not  look  at 
it — my  eyes  were  dazzled  as  when  I  gazed  into  the 
noon-day  sun.  The  radiant  vision  held  on  her  right 
arm  an  infant;  the  forefinger  of  its  right  hand  was 
pressed  against  its  lips.  I  believed  the  Holy  Virgin 
had  descended  to  me ;  but  when  die  vision  came  nearer . 
to  me,  kissed  me,  and  called  me  by  name,  then  I  knew 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  133 

that  it  was  my  Madus — my  poor  deserted,  forgotten 
Madus ! 

I  was  so  ashamed  of  the  fetters  which  bound  me.  If 
she  should  ask  why  I  wore  them,  how  could  I  reply? 
"I  wear  them  because  of  the  beautiful  woman  who 
caused  me  to  forget  you/' 

But  she  did  not  ask  any  questions ;  she  smiled  ten- 
derly, and  said  in  her  gentle  tones : 

"My  poor  Baran  !  How  unhappy  you  seem !  Cheer 
up — we  are  come  to  help  you — to  release  you.  My 
home  is  now  in  paradise — I  will  tell  you  how  I  came  to 
dwell  there.  On  Christmas  eve,  I  was  kneeling  in 
front  of  the  holy  image  you  brought  to  me  from  Ber- 
diczov,  expecting  every  minute  the  arrival  of  the  little 
guest  for  my  Bethlehem  crib,  when  I  heard  a  familiar 
step  outside  the  cottage.  It  was  my  father.  I  hur- 
riedly snatched  the  blessed  image  from  the  table  to 
hide  it,  for  I  knew  the  sight  of  it  would  anger  him  ;  but 
I  was  seized  with  such  a  terrible  pain  in  my  heart  I 
had  to  press  the  image  against  it  with  both  hands.  I 
hardly  recognized  my  father.  His  face  was  fearfully 
cut,  and  mutilated ;  one  eye  was  gone.  "Your  precious 
Baran  betrayed  us,"  he  gasped,  glaring  at  me  with  the 
remaining  eye.  I  opened  my  lips  to  speak  for  you, 
but  before  I  could  utter  a  word  he  said  again:  "You 
are  his  accomplice,  you  miserable  creature !  What  are 
you  hiding  in  your  breast?"  I  could  not  lie,  so  I  told 
him  it  was  the  image  of  the  Blessed  Virgin.  "A  gift 
from  the  Berdiczov  monks  I'll  warrant !"  he  shrieked, 
seizing  my  hair  and  flinging  me  on  the  floor.  I  heard 
the  keen  blade  of  his  cimeter  hiss  through  the  air — 


134  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

then,  it  seemed  as  if  the  sky  fell  over  me.  The  next 
instant  I  found  myself  in  paradise,  with  every  pain 
changed  to  bliss.  I  may  not  reveal  to  you  the  secrets 
of  that  blessed  realm,  my  Baran.  I  may  only  tell  you 
that  our  little  child  is  with  me — he  was  born  in  heaven. 
This  is  he — he  is  come  to  save  his  father  from  death." 

As  she  spake  these  words  the  child  bent  toward  me 
and  took  hold  of  the  chains  which  bound  my  feet  and 
hands.  They  fell  asunder  at  his  touch.  But  the  iron 
band  around  my  neck  was  too  wide  for  his  tiny  fingers 
to  clasp;  it  was  impossible  for  him  to  break  it.  But 
he  did  what  twenty-four  horses  could  not  have  done : 
with' one  pull  he  drew  from  the  wall  the  iron  ring  to 
which  the  neck-band  was  secured  by  a  chain. 

"My  blessed  child !"  I  exclaimed,  kissing  the  little 
hands.  "If  your  strength  is  so  great,  then  seize  hold 
of  my  hair,  and  bear  me  with  you  to  your  home  above 
the  clouds." 

The  little  one  laid  his  finger  against  his  lips  as  a  sign 
that  he  could  not,  or  dared  not  speak ;  but  the  mother 
answered  for  him : 

"No,  my  good  Baran,  you  cannot  come  to  us.  Be- 
fore that  will  be  possible  you  will  have  to  endure  many 
more  trials  in  this  world  of  shadows.  You  will  have 
to  abide  here  until  you  shall  have  performed  a  good 
deed  for  which  some  one  will  say  to  you:  'God  re- 
ward you.'  One  single  good  deed,  my  Baran,  will  do 
more  toward  winning  paradise  than  a  hundred  pilgrim- 
ages, or  a  thousand  prayers." 

How  sinful  I  am,  your  honors,  is  proved  by  the  fact 
that  I  am  still  alive ;  and  as  it  is  not  likely  that  I  shall 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  135 

have  an  opportunity  to  perform  the  deed,  which  will 
call  down  on  me  a  blessing  from  heaven,  I  shall  never 
again  behold  my  little  angel  son,  and  his  mother,  my 
sainted  Madus. 

After  the  vision  had  spoken  she  beckoned  me  to 
follow  her.  The  child  touched  the  wall  of  the  dungeon 
with  his  fingers,  the  stones  parted,  and  we  passed 
through  the  opening.  The  radiant  form  of  my  Madus 
illuminated  the  passage  amid  the  rocks,  the  long  flights 
of  stairs  we  ascended.  We  seemed  to  thread  our  way 
through  the  catacombs.  At  last  we  emerged  from  the 
subterranean  region  into  a  dense  forest.  I  saw  how 
the  shining  garments  of  my  conductress  swept  over 
the  moss,  giving  to  it,  to  the  flowers,  the  grass,  the 
trees,  the  same  soft  radiance  that  emanated  from  her 
form.  Gradually  the  distance  between  me  and  the 
lovely  vision  widened ;  my  feet  became  leaden  ;  I  could 
hardly  move  my  limbs.  Then  the  radiant  appearance 
lost  its  human  shape,  until  at  last  it  seemed  to  me  that 
I  was  looking  down  a  long  avenue  between  the  trees 
at  a  faint  glimmering  light  at  the  further  end.  The 
cold  air  blew  across  my  face,  and  I  awoke. 

I  was  in  the  forest  of  my  dream,  around  me  were 
mammoth  trees  between  which,  a  long  way  off,  I  could 
see  the  glimmering  light  of  the  open.  The  same  beg- 
gar raiment  I  had  worn  to  journey  to  Lemberg  clothed 
me ;  my  crutch,  emptied  of  its  gold,  lay  by  my  side.  I 
made  my  way  toward  the  light  at  the  edge  of  the  forest. 
I  could  see  no  signs  of  human  habitation  anywhere. 
How  far  I  was  from  the  scene  of  my  -magnificence  and 
disgrace  I  cannot  say.  When  I  looked  at  my  beggar's 


136  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

rags,  I  could  easily  have  believed  my  Lemberg  expe- 
rience an  evil  dream,  had  not  the  iron  band  about  my 
neck  been  too  convincing  a  proof  of  its  reality. 

"Well,"  here  observed  the  prince,  drawing  a  long 
breath,  "that  is  a  most  remarkable  story! — a  miracu- 
lous rescue  of  a  transgressor  through  the  aid  of  the 
Almighty  Father !" 

To  this  the  chair  added :  "I  am  inclined  to  believe 
that  the  prisoner's  escape  from  the  dungeon  was 
effected  through  earthly,  rather  than  heavenly  assist- 
ance. It  is  more  likely  that  the  haidemaken  priest, 
bribed  by  the  duchess,  conveyed  the  prisoner  to  the 
forest,  and  clad  him  in  the  rags  which  had  been  pro- 
cured from  the  Jew  Malchus." 

"I  believe  the  story  just  as  the  accused  told  it,"  as- 
severated his  highness.  "There  are  a  number  of  simi- 
lar cases  on  record — of  notorious  bandits  having  been 
released  from  imprisonment  by  the  hands  of  an  unborn 
babe." 

"And  I  assure  your  highness" — Hugo  ventured  to 
insist — "that  everything  happened  just  as  I  related  it. 
From  the  moment  of  my  waking  in  the  forest,  a  white 
dove  nestled  on  my  left  shoulder,  and  accompanied  me 
wherever  I  went.  If  I  turned  to  look  at  it,  when  it 
would  coo  into  my  ear,  it  would  fly  to  my  right  shoul- 
der ;  but  it  seemed  to  prefer  sitting  on  my  left." 

"Is  the  white  dove  sitting  on  either  of  your  shoulders 
now?"  queried  the  chair. 

"No,  your  honor,"  sadly  replied  the  prisoner;  "it  is 
not  there  now.  I  will  tell  you  later  how  I  came  to 
lose  it." 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  137 

The  prince  announced  his  decision  as  follows : 
"As  the  prisoner's  release  from  the  dungeon  was 
accomplished  through  a  miracle  from  heaven,  it  would 
not  be  seemly  for  a  human  judge  to  oppose  divine 
favor.  This  transgression,  therefore,  may  also  be 
.erased  from  the  register." 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 


PART    IV. 


WITH  THE  TEMPLARS. 

CHAPTER  I. 
IN  THE  HOLLOW  TREE. 

With  a  ragged  mantle  on  my  back,  a  crutch  in  my 
hand,  an  iron  band  about  my  neck,  and  the  white  dove 
on  my  shoulder,  where  could  I  have  gone? — even  had 
I  wished  to  leave  the  forest. 

The  rags  and  the  crutch  were  fitting  equipment  for 
a  beggar;  but  what  should  I  have  replied  had  anyone 
asked  me  why  I  wore  the  iron  band  on  my  neck?  I 
was  disgusted  with  the  world  and  its  wickedness. 

Overwhelmed  with  remorse  for  the  sins  I  had  com- 
mitted, I  resolved  to  become  a  hermit  and  do  penance 
— I  would  remain  in  the  forest  and  adopt  the  rigorous 
life  of  an  ascetic. 

After  a  brief  search  I  discovered  a  brook  that  would 
supply  me  with  fresh  water ;  hard  by  its  banks  an  oak 
tree,  many  centuries  old,  with  a  large  cavity  in  the 
trunk,  offered  the  shelter  I  should  require.  I  collected 
moss  and  dry  leaves  for  my  bed;  for  nourishment 
(138) 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  139 

there  was  a  plentitude  of  nuts  and  wild  fruits,  and 
edible  fungi.  Wild  bees  furnished  me  with  sweets. 

I  bound  together  two  dry  branches  in  form  of  a 
cross,  set  it  up  between  two  large  stones,  and  per- 
formed my  daily  devotions  in  front  of  it. 

During  the  day  I  roamed  through  the  forest  col- 
lecting stores  for  the  winter ;  I  laid  up  a  supply  of  dried 
fruit,  nuts,  sow-bread  and  honey — the  last  I  found  in 
the  upper  part  of  my  tree-house,  where  a  swarm  of 
bees  had  taken  up  their  quarters. 

Of  the  raspberries  which  grew  plentifully  along  the 
brook,  I  made  a  sort  of  conserve,  which  I  packed  into 
boxes  made  of  the  bark  of  pine  trees.  All  these  pro- 
visions I  stored  in  my  tree-house,  which  I  had  firmly 
resolved  never  to  quit. 

But  one  thought  disquieted  me.  If  I  remained  in 
the  forest  how  could  I  perform  the  good  deed  Madus 
had  told  me  was  necessary  in  order  to  win  paradise? 
If  I  passed  all  my  days  in  the  hollow  tree  beside  the 
brook,  where  no  human  being  ever  came  near  me,  how 
was  I  to  benefit  my  fellow  creatures?  How  win  the 
"God  will  reward  you" — the  open  sesame  to  paradise? 
I  pondered  this  over  and  over  until  at  last  an  expedi- 
ent suggested  itself  to  me,  by  which  I  could  make 
known  my  existence  to  my  fellow-creatures  and  still 
remain  in  my  hermitage.  I  looked  about  for  two  broad 
flat  stones ;  these  I  fastened  together  at  one  side  with 
a  cord  made  of  linden  bark  and  hung  them  on  the  lower 
limb  of  a  tree.  With  a  third  stone  for  a  clapper  I  rang 
my  primitive  bell  three  times  daily — morn,  noon  and 
evening — surely,  I  said  to  myself,  some  one  will  hear 


140  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

the  sound  and  come  to  see  what  is  the  meaning  of  it. 
When  the  people  in  the  neighborhood  learn  that  a 
devout  hermit  is  living  in  the  forest,  they  will  visit  him, 
and  perhaps  bestow  alms  on  him. 

But,  in  vain  I  rang  three  times  every  day,  no  visitors 
came  to  my  hollow  tree,  save  the  fawns  that  came  to 
drink  at  the  brook,  and  the  wild  cats  that  came  to  prey 
on  them.  Many  a  time  I  rescued  a  young  deer  from 
the  claws  of  the  feline  enemy.  It  was  to  be  regretted 
that  the  dumb  beasts  I  rescued  could  not  have  thanked 
me  for  the  good  deed.  One  day  I  returned  later  than 
was  my  wont  from  collecting  moss  and  ferns  to  pro- 
tect me  from  the  cold  of  winter  (I  had  already  fash- 
ioned a  door  of  willow  withes  to  keep  the  snow  out 
of  my  tree-house).  What  was  my  surprise  to  find  the 
door  open,  and  all  my  provisions  gone !  Not  a  trace 
of  the  nuts  remained  but  the  shells ;  there  was  not  a 
vestige  of  the  dried  fruit;  the  boxes  of  raspberry  con- 
serve were  lying  about  on  the  ground,  broken  and 
crushed,  as  if  they  had  been  trodden  under  foot  by  the 
marauders.  Even  the  tent-shaped  honey-comb  in  the 
upper  portion  of  my  dwelling  was  gone,  the  plundered 
bees  were  buzzing  angrily  around  the  tree  outside. 

I  could  hardly  refrain  from  uttering  a  malediction  on 
the  thief  who  had  despoiled  me  of  my  winter  store; 
but  I  remembered  my  pious  vows,  and  reproached  my- 
self instead :  "Shame  on  you,  pious  anchorite,"  I  said, 
"were  you  so  wedded  to  earthly  possessions  that  the 
loss  of  them  rouses  your  anger?  You  were  too  proud 
of  your  store.  You  were  going  to  play  the  sovereign 
in  the  wilderness.  Others  had  an  equal  right  to  that 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  141 

which  you  imagined  belonged  only  to  yourself.  The 
truly  pious  anchorite  does  not  lay  up  stores  for  the 
morrow.  He  depends  on  the  Master  to  supply  his 
needs.  He  must  pay  heed  to  nothing  save  his  prayers 
for  the  wicked,  and  praises  for  the  Master.  You  have 
been  fitly  punished  for  your  arrogance."  I  said  further, 
"Perhaps  this  has  happened  for  the  best.  Who  can 
say  but  the  despoiler  prayed  that  God  might  reward 
the  one  who  had  placed  the  provisions  in  the  hollow 
tree.  If  so  be  that  was  the  case,  it  was  a  fine  hunger 
it  took  all  my  store  to  appease !" 

And  again:  "Who  knows?  Perhaps  the  hungry 
one  is  a  great  prophet — St.  Peter  himself,  maybe.  I 
have  heard  that  that  distinguished  saint  occasionally 
visits  a  poor  man,  and  eats  up  a  winter's  supply  of 
provisions,  only  to  return  it  an  hundred  fold.  If  so  be 
it  was  St.  Peter  then  he  will  return  tomorrow  and  so 
fill  your  tree  with  viands  and  treasure  you  will  never 
again  want  for  anything — and,  maybe,  he  will  also 
bestow  on  you  a  passport  that  will  admit  you  to  para- 
dise whenever  you  choose  to  go !" 

Consoling  myself  with  such  thoughts,  I  sounded  the 
bell  as  usual  for  vespers ;  then  I  drank  heartily  of  brook 
water,  lay  down  on  my  soft  bed,  and  dreamed  until 
morning,  of  flying  hams  and  kindred  paradisal  de- 
lights. At  sunrise,  I  rang  the  early  matin  bell;  then 
hurried  away,  in  order  not  to  disturb  the  prophet  when 
he  came  to  prepare  the  surprise  for  me. 

I  spent  the  entire  day  wandering  about  the  forest, 
guessing  what  my  benefactor  would  bestow  on  me  in 
return  for  the  nuts,  fruits  and  honey  he  had  taken— 


142         %    TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

would  it  be  the  widow's  oil-cruse  with  its  never-failing 
contents?  or,  a  pair  of  bread-supplying  ravens?  or, 
a  barley  loaf  from  Mount  Gilead?  or,  a  swarm  of  those 
savory  locusts  which  had  served  as  fare  for  John  the 
Baptist? 

In  my  rambling  I  came  across  a  heap  of  beech-nuts. 
I  hesitated  to  gather  them.  What  need  to  take  the 
trouble?  There  would  be  plenty,  and  to  spare,  in  the 
hollow  tree.  However,  I  filled  my  pockets  with  the 
nuts,  then  turned  my  face  homeward. 

As  I  was  rather  late,  I  rang  for  vespers,  and  told 
my  beads  (I  had  made  a  beautiful  rosary  of  acorns) 
before  going  to  my  hermitage.  A  deep  growl  came 
from  the  hollow  tree  when  I  approached  it. 

"He  is  here !"  I  exclaimed  joyfully.  "He  is  wait- 
ing to  see  me.  That  he  is  no  ordinary  person  I  can 
tell  by  his  voice !" 

I  crept  on  hands  and  knees  toward  the  tree,  and 
peeped  into  the  cavity.  The  next  instant  I  was  on  my 
feet,  hurling  a  million  donnerwetters  at  the  shaggy 
bear,  whose  monstrous  body  quite  filled  the  only  apart- 
ment of  my  dwelling. 

I  forgot  that  I  was  an  anchorite,  and  cursed  the 
brute  roundly — 

"Votum  violatum,"  dictated  the  chair.  "Broken 
vow — blasphemy !  Capite  plectetur. ' ' 

"By  my  faith !"  interposed  the  prince  with  consider- 
able emphasis.  "I  would  have  sworn  too !  Qui  bene 
distinquet,  bene  docet.  How  goes  the  paragraph  re- 
lating to  blasphemy?  'He  that  curses  his  fellowman' — 
and  so  forth.  But,  it  doesn't  say  anything  about  pun- 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  143 

ishment  for  him  who  curses  his  'fellow-bear.'  You  see, 
therefore,  that  the  votum  ruptum  does  not  fit  this 
crime,  for  it  was  not  the  prisoner  who  broke  the  vow  of 
the  anchorite,  but  the  bear;  consequently  bruin  is  the 
delinquent." 

"Very  good,"  assented  the  chair.  "Then  the  bear 
is  the  guilty  party:  ursus  comburatur!  The  robbery 
of  the  temple  follows :  I  am  curious  to  hear  how  the 
prisoner  will  clear  himself  of  that!  That  he  will 
accomplish  it  I  am  willing  to  wager  my  head !" 

What  was  I  to  do?  continued  Hugo,  when  the 
mayor  had  concluded  his  remark.  My  house  was 
occupied  by  a  tenant  who  would  not  let  me  share  it 
with  him.  I  had  nowhere  else  to  go.  I  could  not  find 
another  hermitage.  If  I  could  not  be  a  hermit,  I  could 
become  a  beggar — begging  was  also  a  way  to  gain 
a  livelihood,  and  I  possessed  the  necessary  equipment 
for  it. 

In  Poland,  no  one  who  can  say :  "Give  me  bread," 
needs  die  of  hunger.  The  iron  band  on  my  neck  might, 
after  all,  be  of  advantage  to  me ;  it  would  give  me  a  sort 
of  superiority  over  other  mendicants.  If  I  were  asked 
how  I  came  by  it,  I  should  say  that  it  had  been  forged 
on  my  neck  by  the  Saracens,  who  took  me  captive 
when  I  was  in  the  Holy  Land,  and  because  I  had  made 
my  escape  through  a  miracle,  I  continued  to  wear  the 
band  as  a  penance. 

The  good  people  to  whom  I  told  this  story  believed 
it;  it  brought  me  many  a  groschen  and  carried  me 
comfortably  across  Poland. 

I  had  no  sooner  crossed  into  Brandenburg  (I  was 


144  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

on  my  way  to  my  native  city,  where  I  intended  taking 
up  the  trade  of  my  father,  an  honest  and  respectable 
tanner)  than  I  was  surrounded  by  a  crowd  of  people — 
not  a  charitably  disposed  crowd,  but  inquisitive. 

They  wanted  to  know  where  I  came  from,  where 
was  I  going,  who  and  what  was  I  and  how  I  dared  to 
have  the  impertinence  to  beg  in  their  city. 

I  replied  that  I  was  a  pilgrim  from  the  Holy  Land ; 
and  that  instead  of  thinking  it  an  impertinence  for  me 
to  beg  from  them,  they  ought  to  consider  it  a  distinc- 
tion to  have  in  their  community  a  mendicant  with  an 
iron  collar  around  his  neck. 

But  the  Brandenburgers  are  inclined  to  believe  them- 
selves more  clever  than  the  rest  of  the  world.  The  bail- 
iff seized  me,  dragged  me  to  the  market  place,  where  he 
proceeded  to  question  me  for  the  benefit  of  the  whole 
city. 

"Who  are  you?"  he  inquired. 

"I  am  hungry,"  I  said  in  reply. 

"Where  do  you  come  from?" 

"From  Jerusalem." 

"Don't  you  attempt  to  deceive  me,  sirrah !  I  know 
the  way  to  Jerusalem.  Through  what  provinces  did 
you  journey?" 

"Through  Marcomannia,  and  Scythia ;  through  Bess 
Arabia,  and  Arabia  Petrsea;  through  Bactria,  and 
Mesopotamia;  and  now  I  come  direct  from  Cara- 
mania — " 

"Stop,  stop !  You  are  saying  what  is  not  true," 
interrupted  the  bailiff.  "Praise  be  to  God !  we  Branden- 
burgers have  maps,  and  know  how  to  get  to  foreign 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD,  145 

countries.  The  way  to  Palestine  is  through  Zingaria, 
Paflagonia,  Cappadocia,  and  cinnamon-scented  India. 

"Well,"  I  explained,  "I  did  travel  through  those 
countries  too,  but  it  was  at  night,  when  I  couldn't  see  to 
read  their  names  on  the  guide-boards/' 

"And  what  means  that  iron  band  on  your  neck?" 

"That,  your  honor,  was  fastened  about  my  neck  by 
the  black  sultan,  Zagachrist,  who  held  me  captive  fifty- 
two  years  and  three  days." 

"You  are  not  yet  thirty  years  old." 

"No,  in  this  part  of  the  world  I  am  not ;  but  in  Abys- 
sinia, where  the  sun  is  so  hot,  the  days  contract  to  such 
an  extent,  that  one  of  your  years  here  would  be  six 
there." 

"What  an  unconscionable  liar  you  are!"  exclaimed 
the  bailiff.  "Heat  does  not  contract.  On  the  contrary, 
it  expands,  which  accounts  for  the  days  being  longer  in 
summer  than  in  winter.  W«e  Brandenburgers  know 
that  very  well." 

He  seized  me  by  the  collar,  to  drag  me  to  prison,  but 
I  held  back,  and  said  in  a  loud  voice — loud  enough  for 
the  crowd  to  hear: 

"I  tell  you  I  am  right ;  heat  does  contract.  Just  you 
sit  on  a  hot  stove  and  see  if  your  leather  breeches  don't 
shrivel  up  under  you." 

The  crowd  was  on  my  side ;  but  that  trial  in  the  mar- 
ket-place might  have  resulted  disastrously  for  me,  had 
not  a  knight  just  then  chanced  to  ride  that  way.  He 
wore  on  his  head  a  plumed  helmet ;  his  body  was  pro- 
tected by  a  coat  of  mail.  From  his  shoulders  hung  a 
crimson  mantle,  on  which  was  embroidered  a  large 


146  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

white  cross.  A  heart-shaped  shield  swung  from  the 
pommel  of  his  saddle. 

My  eyes  were  at  once  attracted  to  this  shield,  on 
which  were  the  ensigns  armorial:  a  mounted  knight 
like  himself,  and  on  the  same  horse  a  ragged  pilgrim  of 
a  like  pattern  with  myself. 

"Ho,  ho!"  here  interrupted  the  chair  in  triumph. 
"You  may  have  been  able  to  hoodwink  the  Branden- 
burg bailiff,  but  you  can't  do  the  same  with  me !  You 
needn't  try  to  make  this  court  believe  you  saw  anyone 
wearing  the  coat-of-arms  of  an  order  that  was  abol- 
ished in  the  14th  century." 

"I  know  very  well,  your  honor,  that  the  order  of  the 
Templars  was  abolished  at  the  time  you  mention,  but  a 
portion  of  them  took  refuge  in  Brandenburg,  where  the 
order  exists  to  this  day  under  the  name  of  'Dornen- 
ritter/  " 

Having  made  this  explanation,  Hugo  continued  his 
confession : 

At  sight  of  the  Templar  a  great  commotion  arose 
among  the  people  crowding  the  market-place;  the 
women  pressed  toward  him  to  kiss  the  hem  of  his  man- 
tle, in  their  enthusiasm  almost  dragging  him  from  the 
saddle.  The  knight  had  red  hair,  and  a  long  beard  of 
the  same  fiery  hue. 

"There  is  the  red  monk,"  said  the  bailiff  to  me.  "Do 
you  try  to  make  him  believe  you  have  been  in  Pales- 
tine? He  has  been  there  twice — once  by  land  and  once 
by  sea — and  he  has  slaughtered  more  than  two  hun- 
dred heathen  and  liberated  thousands  of  pilgrims  from 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  147 

slavery.  Talk  to  him;  he  will  know  how  to  question 
you." 

I  was  in  a  fix,  and  no  mistake.  The  knight  would  be 
sure  at  once  to  detect  the  errors  of  my  geography. 

He  rode  quite  close  to  me,  passed  his  hand  over  his 
long  beard  and  examined  me  from  head  to  foot  with  his 
keen  eyes. 

"Can  you  prove  to  me  that  you  come  from  the  Holy 
Land?"  he  asked  in  a  voice  so  stern  and  deep-toned  it 
made  me  start  and  tremble. 

But  a  lucky  thought  came  to  me ;  I  had  a  convincing 
proof  under  my  arm — the  old  Turk's  crutch,  the  shaft 
of  which  was  closely  wound  with  brass  wire  in  a  fan- 
ciful pattern. 

"  Will  you  examine  this,  Sir  Knight?"  I  said  in  reply 
—holding  the  crutch  toward  him.  "You,  who  are 
familiar  with  the  Arabic  characters,  will  find  here  a  rec- 
ord of  my  wanderings — the  entire  history  of  my 
wretched  captivity,  and  miraculous  deliverance." 

It  was  the  knight's  turn  to  start  and  tremble.  I  saw 
at  once  from  his  countenance,  that  he  knew  no  more 
about  Arabic  than — ah — than  your  honor,  and  that  he 
was  afraid  I  might  betray  him,  and  prove  to  the  multi- 
tude that  he  had  never  trod  the  sacred  soil  of  the  Holy 
Land.  The  hand  he  extended  for  the  crutch  trembled, 
but  he  preserved  a  bold  front,  as  he  turned  the  brass- 
bound  shaft  around  and  around  in  his  fingers,  and  pre- 
tended to  decipher  the  oriental  characters.  After  sev- 
eral minutes,  he  returned  the  crutch  to  me  and  said  in 
an  impressive  tone : 

"This  is  indeed  Arabic — or,  rather,  Saracenic,  the 


148  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

language  of  Turcomania.  Your  crutch,  devout  pil- 
grim, testifies  to  the  truth  of  everything  you  have  told 
these  good  people.  Come  with  me  to  my  castle,  where 
you  will  be  a  welcome  and  honored  guest." 

Before  he  had  quite  concluded  this  speech,  the  bailiff 
had  lost  himself  in  the  crowd — he  was  nowhere  to  be 
seen. 

I  was  hoisted  to  the  shoulders  of  a  pair  of  sturdy  citi- 
zens, and,  accompanied  by  the  shouting  multitude, 
borne  in  triumph  to  the  Templars'  castle,  situated  on  a 
moat-encircled  hill,  a  little  distance  from  the  city. 

Here,  I  was  committed  to  the  care  of  the  guards  on 
duty ;  they  stripped  me  of  my  rags ;  lifted  me  into  a  vat 
of  water,  scrubbed  me  thoroughly,  combed  and  shaved 
my  head,  and  then  put  on  me  a  scarlet  habit  of  coarse 
cloth,  which,  to  judge  from  its  ample  proportions,  must 
once  have  garbed  the  form  of  a  brother  whose  condi- 
tions of  life  had  been  more  fortunate  than  mine. 

Attired  thus,  I  was  conducted  to  the  refectory,  where 
the  red-bearded  knight  and  twelve  of  his  companions 
were  assembled. 

"Quadraginta  tonitrua,  lad,  you  please  me  well!" 
exclaimed  the  red-bearded  knight,  who  seemed  to  be 
the  leader.  "Never,  in  all  my  life,  have  I  ever  heard  so 
glib  a  tongue  at  lying  as  yours !  You  must  stop  here 
with  us.  The  devil  has  taken  our  sacristan — that's  his 
habit  you've  got  on — he  died  of  small-pox  yesterday." 

You  may  imagine  my  feelings  when  I  heard  that  I 
was  wearing  the  garment  of  a  man  that  had  succumbed 
to  so  loathsome  a  disease ! 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  149 

I  made  bold  to  say  that  I  had  never  learned  the 
duties  requisite  to  the  office  of  a  sacristan. 

"Per  septem  archidiabolos!"  merrily  exclaimed  the 
knight.  "I  believe  you.  But,  we  will  instruct  you — 
never  fear !" 

Here  he  noticed  the  iron  band  on  my  neck  and 
added:  "Ha,  Lucifer  te  corripiat!  Why  do  you  wear 
that  curious  band  around  your  neck?" 

In  reply  I  stammered  something  about  a  solemn 
vow,  whereupon  the  entire  company  burst  into  hearty 
laughter. 

"Ut  Belsebub  te  submergat  in  paludes  inferni,  tri- 
furcifer!"  bawled  the  red  knight.  "Either  you  wear  the 
band  in  pursuance  of  a  vow — solemn  or  otherwise — or 
it  was  forged  on  your  neck  in  punishment  for  a  theft. 
If  the  former,  then  continue  to  wear  it  to  the  end  of 
your  days ;  if  the  latter,  then  we  have  an  armorer  who 
will  relieve  you  of  it  in  short  order.'* 

To  this  I  made  answer : 

"Though  I  wear  the  iron  band  because  of  a  solemn 
vow,  the  Sir  Knights  may  believe  it  is  in  punishment 
for  a  theft." 

The  merry  company  laughed  again,  and  the  armorer 
was  summoned  at  once  to  relieve  me  of  the  uncomfort- 
able collar. 

BAPHOMET. 

I  now  believed  I  had  ultimately  attained  what  I  most 
desired — a  comfortable  position  in  a  religious  house, 
where  I  might  pass  the  remainder  of  my  days  in  peace, 
and  free  from  care.  I  should  have  no  further  need  to 


150  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

trouble  about  providing  for  food  and  drink,  and  the 
where  to  lay  my  head.  My  duties  were  light ;  I  had  to 
ring  the  bell  for  prayers  three  times  daily ;  keep  clean 
the  church  vessels,  and  take  care  of  all  the  vestments. 
All  my  time  not  occupied  with  these  simple  tasks,  I  was 
permitted  to  devote  to  pious  contemplation.  I  soon 
won  the  confidence  of  Knight  Elias,  the  red-bearded 
superior.  I  was  named  Eliezer.  It  had  taken  me  six 
months  and  more  to  beg  my  way  through  Poland,  con- 
sequently, Passion  week  began  soon  after  my  arrival  at 
the  Templars'  castle.  I  was  apprehensive  that  I  should 
not  be  able  adequately  to  perform  the  duties  requisite 
for  my  office  during  the  solemn  season,  as  I  was  not  yet 
sufficiently  familiar  with  the  Roman  Catholic  service, 
having  only  lately  become  a  neophite.  But,  when  I  con- 
fided my  doubts  to  Knight  Elias,  he  replied  encourag- 
ingly : 

"Don't  you  worry,  Frater  Eliezer,  every  night  dur- 
ing the  coming  week  we  shall  rehearse  scenes  from  the 
'Passion  Play,'  which  will  make  you  familiar  with  the 
services  expected  of  you." 

This  assurance  gave  me  confidence,  and  I  looked 
forward  with  impatience  to  Maundy-Thursday,  as  on 
the  evening  of  that  day  the  preparations  for  the  devo- 
tional ceremonies  were  to  begin. 

Maundy-Thursday  arrived.  In  the  evening,  after  I 
had  closed  and  locked  the  gates  after  vespers,  Knight 
Elias  bade  me  take  a  lamp,  go  to  the  chapel,  and  wait 
there  until  the  clock  struck  the  hour  of  midnight,  when 
I  should  hear  three  taps  on  the  door  of  the  crypt.  I 
was  to  open  the  door  without  delay,  receive  with 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  151 

becoming  respect  the  guests  who  would  appear,  and 
obey  every  order  they  might  give  me.  I  did  not  betray 
the  astonishment  I  felt  on  receiving  this  very  singular 
behest.  I  never  was  what  may  be  termed  "faint- 
hearted." I  dare  say  because  my  curiosity  always  was 
superior  to  my  timidity;  and  I  confess  I  was  most 
curious  to  see  what  manner  of  guests  would  come  out 
of  the  crypt. 

The  last  stroke  of  twelve  was  followed  by  three  raps 
on  the  crypt  door.  I  hastened  to  open  it,  and  was 
amazed  to  find  the  stairway  leading  to  the  tomb  bril- 
liantly lighted,  and  mounting  it  were  a  half  dozen  or 
more  female  forms,  clad  in  antique  costumes — such  as 
are  seen  only  in  the  canvases  adorning  the  walls  of 
churches  and  royal  palaces. 

All  the  women  were  highly  rouged  and  powdered; 
one  had  her  eyebrows  penciled  with  black;  another 
with  minium,  and  another  had  hers  tinted  with  gold. 
All  carried  in  their  hands  gaily  colored  wax  tapers. 
They  were  not  in  the  least  like  the  ghosts  I  had 
expected  to  see ;  and  I  was  not  in  the  least  frightened 
of  them  either ! 

Young  blood  coursed  through  my  veins  then,  and  it 
flowed  more  swiftly  when  my  eyes  rested  on  the  beau- 
tiful visitors — even  though  they  were  denizens  of 
another  world ! 

The  ghosts  saw  at  once  that  it  was  not  the  old  sacris- 
tan who  had  admitted  them ;  and  believed  it  necessary 
to  introduce  themselves.  The  first  one  said : 

"I  am  Jezebel,  wife  of  King  Ahab.  Fetch  the  bap- 
tismal basin,  I  want  to  perform  my  ablutions." 


152  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

The  second  announced : 

"I  am  Salome,  daughter  of  Herodias.  Bring  me  the 
golden  ciborium." 

The  third  said : 

"I  am  Bathsheba.  Bring  the  sacred  oil,  I  want  some 
for  my  hair." 

The  fourth : 

"I  am  Delilah.    Bring  a  chalice,  I  want  a  drink." 

The  fifth: 

"I  am  Ashtoreth.  Bring  the  censer,  I  want  some 
perfume." 

"I  am  Tamar,"  announced  the  sixth.  "Bring  a 
lachrymatory,  I  want  to  fill  it  with  my  tears." 

There  were  seven  in  the  company..  The  seventh  had 
on  her  head  a  crown,  and  was  clad  in  a  robe  of  gold- 
brocade  with  a  long  train.  "I  am  Mylitta,  Queen  of 
Sheba,"  she  announced  in  a  voice  that  sounded  like  a 
sweet-toned  bell.  "Bring  me  the  pyx." 

Now,  although  the  rest  of  the  orders  had  confound- 
ed me  with  their  impiety,  I  had  obeyed  them,  because 
I  had  been  commanded  to  do  so.  This  last,  however, 
made  me  hesitate ;  I  could  not  lay  sacrilegious  hands 
on  so  holy  a  vessel. 

I  shuddered,  and  looked  with  horrified  eyes  at  the 
commanding  phantom.  Suddenly,  she  lifted  her  arm, 
and  gave  me  a  sound  blow  on  the  back,  at  the  same 
time  screaming : 

"Don't  you  hear  me,  dolt?  I  want  the  pyx."  Feel- 
ing convinced  that  further  hesitation  to  obey  this  visit- 
ant from  another  world  would  not  be  well  for  me,  I 
went  to  the  altar,  and  with  a  violently  trembling  hand 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  153 

lifted  the  sacred  vessel  from  its  accustomed  place  and 
brought  it  to  the  lady. 

"Now,  follow  us,"  she  commanded;  and  the  proces- 
sion from  the  crypt  passed  on,  I  following  in  the  rear, 
out  of  the  chapel,  up  a  winding  staircase,  to  a  part  of 
the  castle  I  had  not  yet  been  in.  We  halted  in  front  of 
a  gilded  iron  door ;  it  opened  in  response  to  three  raps, 
and  I  saw  into  a  long,  magnificently  furnished  saloon. 
There  were  no  windows  in  it;  a  mysterious  radiance 
shone  from  the  niches  in  the  walk,  which  were  hung 
with  gold-embroidered  silk. 

As  we  crossed  the  threshold,  a  heavy  curtain  across 
the  further  end  of  the  saloon  parted,  and  several  male 
figures,  garbed  in  old-time  costumes — Turkish,  Rom- 
an, Persian,  Chaldean  and  Egyptian — came  to  meet  the 
women,  who  greeted  them  thus : 

"Welcome,  Ahasuerus !" 

"Baal  greets  you,  Nebuchadnezzar !" 

"Osiris,  bless  you,  Pharaoh !"  and  so  on,  to  Herod, 
Pilate,  Nero,  Sardanapalus — in  all  of  whom  I  recog- 
nized my  sir  knights.  My  red-bearded  patron 
answered  to  the  name  of  Judas  Iscariot.  It  was  a  dis- 
tinguished company ! 

The  greetings  between  the  knights  and  the  ladies 
ever,  my  patron  turned  toward  me.  I  was  standing 
near  the  door — and  said : 

"Malchus,  come  hither." 

I  looked  around  to  see  who  Malchus  might  be,  but 
finding  no  one  near  me,  guessed  that  I  too  had  been 
given  a  name  suitable  for  the  occasion — that  of  the 


154  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

chief  priests'  servant,  who  lifted  his  hand  against  the 
Savior. 

My  patron's  next  words  assured  me  that  I  had 
guessed  correctly: 

"If  your  ears  have  really  been  cut  off,  Malchus — 
which  they  must  have  been,  since  you  can't  hear,  we 
must  ask  Ben  Hanotzri  to  fasten  them  to  your  head 
again !" 

I  had  not  yet  learned  to  whom  they  alluded  when 
they  mentioned  that  name. 

After  his  last  speech  to  me,  my  patron  took  my  hand 
and  led  me  up  to  the  knight  they  called  Nebuchadnez- 
zar. He  had  strings  of  costly  pearls  wound  in  his 
beard  and  hair — as  one  sees  in  ancient  Persian  statues, 
and  pictures. 

"What  has  Malchus  done  that  he  deserves  to  be  ad- 
mitted to  the  service  of  Baphomet?"  he  inquired. 

My  patron  answered  for  me: 

"He  has  been  a  heretic,  an  atheist,  a  thief,  a  mur- 
derer, a  counterfeiter,  an  adulterer — " 

"The  very  man  for  us !"  interrupted  Nebuchadnezzar 
— and  then  I  understood  why  my  welcome  to  the  con- 
ventual residence  had  been  so  cordial! 

I  was  asked  to  take  off  my  monk's  habit,  and  given 
the  dress  of  a  Roman  lictor,  in  which  character  my  first 
task  was  to  remove  the  lid  from  a  sarcophagus  that 
stood  in  a  niche  in  the  wall. 

I  was  horrified  when  I  saw  that  it  contained  a  wax 
image  of  our  Savior,  as  He  descended  from  the  cross, 
with  the  five  gaping  wounds  in  His  body,  and  the 
crown  of  thorns  on  His  head. 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  155 

The  knights  gathered  about  the  sarcophagus,  and  be- 
gan a  discussion,  to  which  I  listened  with  fear  and 
trembling.  They  spoke  in  Latin,  and  as  I  am  quite 
familiar  with  the  language  I  understood  every  word. 

One  of  the  knights  asserted,  that  Christ  was  an  eon 
of  the  God-father,  Jaldabaoth,  who  had  sent  Him  to  the 
earth,  as  the  Messiah  of  the  Pneumatici,  and  to  van- 
quish his,  Jaldabaoth's,  arch-enemy,  Ophiomorpho; 
that  Christ,  having  failed  for  want  of  courage  to 
accomplish  the  task,  Jaldabaoth  had  allowed  Him  to  be 
crucified  in  punishment ;  all  of  which  was  satisfactorily 
proved  by  Valentinus,  the  Gnostic.  Another  of  the 
knights  insisted,  that  Christ  was  an  imposter,  as  was 
verified  by  Basilides  of  Alexandria,  and  Bardesane ; 
and  that  His  true  name  was  Ben  Jonah  Hanotzri. 

The  earth  seemed  to  sink  from  under  my  feet  as  I 
listened  to  this  blasphemous  disputation.  Though  I  am 
a  wicked  sinner,  my  reverence  for  all  things  holy  is 
boundless.  I  held  my  hands  over  my  ears  to  shut  out 
the  horrible  words,  but  I  could  not  help  but  hear  some 
of  them. 

The  third  knight  maintained  that  the  whole  story  of 
Jesus  Christ  was  a  myth — He  had  never  been  born — 
had  never  died.  The  entire  legend  was  an  emblem,  a 
symbol  that,  like  Brahma,  and  Isis,  had  never  pos- 
sessed a  material  body;  and  that  all  images  of  Him 
were  idols,  like  those  which  represented  Basal,  or 
Dagon. 

I  imagined  that  blasphemy  could  go  no  further ;  but 
the  fourth  knight  convinced  me  that  even  hyperbole 
may  possess  a  superlative. 


156  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

The  fourth  speaker  was  Nebuchadnezzar;  he 
declared  he  could  prove  from  the  Scriptures,  that  Jesus 
Christ  was  that  Demiurge,  who  tortures  mankind  with 
laws;  renders  unhappy  and  wretched  the  dwellers  on 
earth ;  prohibits  all  things  that  are  pleasant  and  agree- 
able to  the  senses ;  commands  man  to  do  what  is  good 
for  his  fellows,  though  nature's  laws  prompt  him  to  do 
that  which  is  best  for  himself — be  it  good  or  evil  for  his 
neighbor.  Consequently,  it  was  the  plain  duty  of  every 
sentient  being  to  defy  this  Demiurge,  to  disobey  the 
laws  promulgated  by  him;  to  practice,  instead  of 
refrain  from :  cheating,  robbery,  murder,  forgery,  intem- 
perance, gluttony,  debauchery ;  and  that  whoever  it  was 
that  had  imposed  on  mankind  the  yoke  of  bondage,  the 
so-called  virtues — were  he  eon,  Demiurge,  Ben  Jonah 
Hanotzri,  or  Jesus  Christ,  deserved  persecution, 
scourging,  and  crucifixion.  "Who  then,"  he  demanded 
in  concluding  his  sacrilegious  harangue,  "is  the  true 
Messiah?" 

"Baphomet!  Baphomet!"  shouted  the  entire  com- 
pany of  knights  and  ladies  as  with  one  voice. 

Nebuchadnezzar  then  beat  with  his  fists  on  a  large 
tam-tam,  upon  which  the  curtain  at  the  end  of  the 
saloon  was  drawn  back,  revealing  a  platform  on  which 
were  two  statues,  life-size.  The  one  on  the  right  was 
Baphomet,  with  the  two  faces,  one  masculine,  the  other 
feminine.  A  huge  serpent  was  wound  twelve  times 
about  the  statue ;  on  each  of  the  rings  thus  formed  was 
engraved  one  of  the  twelve  signs  of  the  zodiac.  One 
hand  held  the  sun ;  the  other  the  moon ;  the  feet  rested 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  157 

on  a  globe,  that  rested  in  turn  on  the  back  of  a  croco- 
dile. 

The  other  statue  represented  Mylitta.  She  was 
seated  on  a  wild  boar ;  a  crown  of  gleaming  rubies  and 
carbuncles  adorned  her  brow.  The  knights  and  ladies, 
one  after  the  other,  approached  the  statues,  kissed  the 
shoulders  of  Baphomet,  then  the  knees  of  Mylitta. 

After  this  ceremony,  they  joined  hands,  forming  a 
circle  around  the  images,  and  began  to  dance  to  a  song 
they  chanted  in  a  tongue  unknown  to  me.  Before  the 
dance  began,  I  was  told  to  fill  all  the  sacred  vessels  with 
the  wine  contained  in  several  large  jars  near  the 
entrance.  This  was  drank  from  time  to  time  in  toasts  to 
Baphomet  and  his  companion  image. 

If  my  horror  was  great,  my  curiosity  was  greater.  I 
mastered  the  former  feeling,  in  order  to  see  what  would 
be  the  end  of  the  sacrilegious  orgy. 

The  wine  jars  were  soon  emptied,  and  I  was  ordered 
by  Iscariot  to  refill  them  in  the  cellar.  On  my  return  to 
the  saloon,  I  found  the  company  seated  around  the 
table ;  when  I  approached  the  Queen  of  Sheba  to  refill 
the  chalice,  from  which  she  was  drinking,  she  said  to 
me: 

"Malchus,  this  crown  of  mine  is  so  heavy ;  go  down 
to  the  chapel  and  fetch  me  the  one  from  the  head  of  the 
woman  of  Nazareth." 

I  went  cold  from  crown  to  sole  at  this  request. 

There  was  in  the  chapel  a  beautiful  image  of  our 
Lady,  with  a  crown  of  pearls  and  diamonds  on  her 
head — the  gift  of  a  pious  princess.  To  this  image  the 
devout  folk  of  the  surrounding  region  made  pilgrim- 


158  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

ages  on  holy  days;  and  it  was  covered  with  all  man- 
ner of  costly  gifts  from  the  grateful  believers.  And  this 
was  the  "Woman  of  Nazareth,"  whose  crown  I  was 
ordered  to  fetch  for  the  shameless  wanton. 

"Didn't  you  hear  the  lady's  order?"  bawled  my 
rufous-bearded  patron,  thumping  the  table  with  his 
mailed  fist.  "Go  at  once  to  the  chapel  and  fetch  the 
crown." 

If  I  had  refused  to  obey  I  should  have  been  killed ; 
but  I  almost  fainted  with  horror  while  performing  the 
errand.  When  I  returned  with  the  jeweled  crown  to 
the  hall  of  the  worship  of  Baphomet,  the  demon  of 
licentious  revelry  had  been  loosed ;  the  women,  as  well 
as  the  men,  were  dancing  with  wild  abandon.  The 
Queen  of  Sheba  snatched  the  crown  from  my  hand, 
adjusted  it  on  her  dishevelled  locks,  then  returned  to 
the  Phrygian  dance,  led  by  herself  and  Nebuchadnez- 
zar; her  hair  stood  almost  straight  out  from  her  head, 
as  she  whirled  around  and  around,  so  swiftly,  that  she 
and  her  partner  seemed  but  one  form  with  two  faces — 
like  Baphomet  whom  they  worshipped.  After  all  had 
indulged  in  the  frantic  revelry  until  they  sank  ex- 
hausted to  the  divans  scattered  about  the  hall,  I  was 
ordered  to  collect  the  sacred  vessels  and  return  them  to 
the  chapel,  and  then  to  go  to  my  rest. 

"He  must  drink  with  me  before  he  goes,"  cried  Ash- 
toreth. 

"Here,  Malchus!"  she  unloosed  from  her  girdle  a 
flask,  and  held  it  to  my  lips.  The  flask  was  an  exquisite 
piece  of  workmanship ;  it  was  made  of  chased  gold  and 
richly  set  with  Turkish  fire  opals. 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  159 

This  wine,  Malchus,"  continued  the  lady,  "is  the 
juice  of  the  grape  planted  by  Noah.  The  stone  jar  in 
which  it  has  been  preserved  for  so  many  centuries 
stands  beside  the  sarcophagus  of  my  grand-mother 
Semiramis,  in  Nineveh — drink,  it  will  do  you  good." 

On  my  hesitating,  she  suddenly  flung  her  arm 
around  my  neck,  drew  my  head  close  to  her  own,  took 
a  good  pull  from  the  flask,  then  pressed  her  lips  to 
mine,  and  forced  me  to  swallow  the  wine  from  her 
mouth. 

Never  have  I  tasted  a  sweeter,  a  more  intoxicating, 
more  stupefying  liquor ! 

"Now  drink,"  commanded  the  heathen  queen,  plac- 
ing the  flask  in  my  hand.  I  put  it  to  my  lips ;  but  per- 
ceived at  once  that  the  wine  had  a  different  taste  from 
that  I  had  received  from  her  mouth.  It  was  bitter,  and 
had  a  peculiar  bouquet.  I  took  only  one  swallow ;  but 
pretended  to  send  several  more  after  the  first  one. 

"You  may  keep  the  flask  as  a  remembrance/'  said 
the  lady  when  I  handed  it  back  to  her.  She  flung  it 
among  the  church  vessels  I  had  collected  together  in 
the  baptismal  basin,  the  better  to  carry  them  back  to 
the  chapel. 

I  hurried  from  the  saloon  with  my  precious  burden ; 
carefully  washed  all  the  vessels  through  three  waters  ; 
then  restored  them  to  their  proper  places  in  the  chapel. 
When  I  had  reverently  placed  the  crown  on  our  Lady's 
head,  I  knelt  at  her  feet,  and  penitently  kissed  the  hem 
of  her  robe. 

"Now  what  shall  I  do  with  this  thing?"  I  inquired  of 
myself,  surveying  the  wine-flask  in  my  hand.  "Where 


160  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

shall  I  hide  it  for  safe-keeping?  It  is  worth  a  deal  of 
money.  It  would  bring  me  enough  to  buy  an  acre  of 
ground,  or  a  mill  with  five  wheels.  I'll  just  fasten  it 
securely,  here  under  my  lictor's  cuirass  for  the  pres- 
ent." I  did  so ;  then,  without  heeding  where  I  was,  I  lay 
down,  and  almost  immediately  fell  into  a  deep,  dream- 
less sleep. 

I  don't  know  how  long  I  slept ;  I  was  roused  by  some 
one  shaking  me  vigorously,  and  crying:  "Wake  up! 
wake  up !" 

"Yes,  yes,  Iscariot,"  I  muttered  sleepily,  "I'll  get  up 
directly." 

"O,  Trifurcifer !"  exclaimed  a  familiar  voice;  "the 
wretch  calls  me  Iscariot!  Just  wait,  you  drunken 
rogue !  I'll  sober  you !" 

The  thorough  drenching  I  received  from  the  large 
can  of  water  thrown  over  me,  brought  me  to  my  senses. 

"Well,  my  pious  Silenus !"  growled  the  knight.  "You 
are  a  fine  fellow  to  set  on  guard,  aren't  you?  I  order 
you  to  keep  watch  outside  the  door  of  the  crypt  until 
midnight,  and  find  you  the  next  morning  lying  inside 
the  cellar  door,  with  your  mouth  under  an  open  fau- 
cet. We  were  obliged  to  carry  you  up  here — not 
knowing  whether  you  were  alive  or  dead." 

"Where — where  is  the  costly  flask  Ashtoreth  gave 
me?"  I  asked,  feeling  in  vain  about  my  body  for  the 
souvenir  bestowed  on  me  by  the  heathen  queen.  There 
was  neither  flask  nor  leather  cuirass,  only  the  old 
coarse  habit  I  had  inherited  from  my  predecessor  in 
office. 

"Come — come/'  angrily  exclaimed  the  knight,  shak- 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  161 

ing  me  again.  "Stop  dreaming,  and  hasten  to  the 
chapel ;  it  is  time  to  ring  the  bell  for  mass." 

I  could  hardly  bring  myself  to  believe  that  it  was 
only  a  dream — it  seemed  so  real,  but  I  could  find  no 
trace  of  midnight  revelry  anywhere — indeed,  I  could 
not  find  the  winding  staircase,  which  I  had  ascended 
from  the  chapel  to  the  hall  of  the  worship  of  Baphomet. 
And  yet  I  doubted. 

The  chapel  was  filled  at  mass  with  devout  worship- 
pers. A  solemn  scene  was  when  the  knights,  garbed  in 
coarse  gray  habits,  and  bare-footed,  crept  on  hands  and 
knees  to  the  stone  coffin,  in  which  lay  a  waxen  image 
of  our  Lord.  They  kissed  the  marble  steps  leading  to 
the  platform  on  which  the  coffin  stood,  and  when  I 
saw  them  gather  about  the  holy  image,  my  dream 
seemed  so  real  that,  in  my  excitement,  I  would  have 
cried  in  a  loud  voice  to  the  kneeling  congregation: 

"People !  Christians !  rise — rise !  do  not  kneel  in  the 
presence  of  these  blasphemers!"  had  not  the  white 
dove  on  my  shoulder  pressed  her  wings  against  my 
lips. 

Then  the  rich  tones  of  the  organ  filled  the  chapel ; 
and  the  women's  voices  chanting  the  "Miserere" 
sounded  so  familiar — exactly  like  those  I  had  heard  in 
my  dream,  singing  bacchanalian  songs — that  I  said  to 
myself:  "That  is  Ashtoreth's  voice — that  is  Delilah's, 
and  that  deep-toned  contralto  is  Jezebel's !"  Again  I 
saw  the  singers  emerge  from  the  crypt  and  move 
toward  the  winding  stair-case.  Ah  !  it  was  a  dream  after 
all !  There  was  no  winding  staircase.  Where  I  had 
seen  the  open  door,  which  gave  egress  to  it,  was  a 


162  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

blank  wall;  and  against  it  the  massive  marble  monu- 
ment of  the  grand  master,  Arminius,  who  was  repre- 
sented by  a  recumbent  knight  in  full  pontificals,  with 
hands  devoutly  crossed  on  his  breast. 

Yes,  it  was  only  a  dream ! 

My  heart  was  relieved  of  a  heavy  weight.  It  was 
such  a  relief  to  feel  certain  that  I  had  not  taken  the 
jeweled  crown  from  our  blessed  Lady's  head ;  and  that 
the  Queen  of  Sheba  had  not  worn  it  while  dancing  in 
adoration  of  an  idol. 

When  the  services  were  concluded,  and  I  approached 
the  image  of  our  Lady,  to  replenish  the  oil  in  the  per- 
petual lamp  at  her  feet,  the  doubts  as  to  my  having 
dreamed  the  scenes  of  the  bacchanalian  revelry  came 
back  in  full  force ;  some  one  had  been  tampering  with 
the  jeweled  crown  on  the  head  of  the  sacred  image — 
it  had  been  turned  around ! 

There  was  a  pearl  in  front  of  the  diadem,  and  a  ruby 
in  the  back — both  as  large  as  a  hazel-nut.  Today,  the 
ruby  gleamed  like  a  coal  of  fire,  where  always  before 
the  radiance  of  the  pearl  had  vied  with  the  pure  white- 
ness of  the  waxen  brow.  The  crown  had  been  reversed 
— I  had  not  dreamed  after  all ! 

This  day  was,  as  I  have  mentioned  before,  Good  Fri- 
day— the  day  of  universal  fasting.  The  knights' 
observance  of  the  day  was  so  rigid  that  they  would  not 
even  administer  to  a  dying  novice  the  medicines  nec- 
essary to  alleviate  his  suffering,  because  they  were 
composed  of  manna  and  hydromel,  both  of  which,  con- 
taining nutriment,  were  considered  food.  Even  I 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  163 

fasted  the  entire  day — of  a  necessity,  though,  for  there 
was  nothing  served  in  the  refectory ! 

My  elastic  conscience  would  have  permitted  me  to 
partake — sparingly,  of  course ! — of  food ;  and  I  regret- 
ted that  I  had  not  possessed  the  forethought  to  lay 
aside  from  the  banquet  of  the  preceding  night  (if  it 
really  had  not  been  a  dream)  the  legs  of  a  three  thous- 
and-year-old quail ! 

But,  had  I  done  so,  they  would  doubtless  have  van- 
ished with  the  pretty  flask  given  me  by  the  heathen 
queen.  When  I  made  my  duty-rounds  as  usual  on 
Good  Friday  evening,  I  found  my  red-bearded  patron 
waiting  for  me  in  the  sacristy.  He  said  to  me : 

"This  evening,  Malchus,  you  will  watch  as  before 
at  the  door  of  the  crypt — but  see  that  v.ou  stop  there, 
and  keep  awake !  Don't  let  me  find  ^ou  again  in  the 
cellar  tomorrow  morning." 

I  said  to  myself:  "I  shall  be  very  sure  not  to  go  to 
sleep  this  time !" 

The  guests  arrived  earlier  this  evening.  The  clock 
in  the  tower  had  not  yet  ceased  striking  eleven,  when 
the  three  knocks  sounded  on  the  crypt  door. 

The  ancient  beauties  did  not  think  it  necessary  to 
introduce  themselves  as  before,  but  they  gave  me  the 
same  orders  for  the  sacred  vessels. 

When  I  moved  toward  the  altar,  in  obedience  to  the 
Queen  of  Sheba's  behest,  she  called  after  me:  "Don't 
look  back,  Malchus ;  if  you  do  Satan  will  fly  away  with 
you!" 

I  did  not  look  backward;  I  had  no  need.  When 
I  held  the  gold  lid  of  the  chalice  in  front  of  me,  it 


164  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

served  the  same  purpose  as  a  mirror,  and  in  it  I  saw 
Jezebel  walk  up  to  the  Arminius  monument,  lay  her 
hand  against  the  head  of  the  recumbent  statue,  and 
thrust  it  to  one  side,  whereupon  the  entire  mass  of 
marble  swung  noiselessly  forward,  revealing  an  open- 
ing in  the  wall  through  which  I  saw  a  winding  stair- 
case. 

Pretending  not  to  have  seen  anything,  or  to  notice 
anything  unusual  in  the  opening  in  the  wall,  I  followed 
the  ladies  up  the^  stair  with  the  articles  they  bade  me 
bring  after  them. 

The  long  table  in  Baphomet's  hall  was  again  loaded 
with  all  sorts  of  eatables :  baked  meats,  pastry,  sweets, 
fruits.  "Meats !"  I  exclaimed  to  myself,  "meats  on 
Good  Friday,  when  all  Christians,  even  the  Calvinists, 
fast  and  read  their  prayer-books  to  find  consolation  for 
their  souls  and  forgetfulness  for  their  stomachs  !"  And 
what  a  feast  it  was !  One  might  well  have  believed 
that  hosts  and  guests  had  not  eaten  anything  for  two 
or  three  thousand  years !  Had  I  been  endowed  with 
the  hands  of  an  Aegeon  I  could  not  have  supplied  the 
viands  and  wine  as  rapidly  as  the  hungry  and  thirsty 
revelers  demanded  them  of  me.  I  seemed  to  be  con- 
tinually running  to,  or  returning  from,  the  wine-cellar. 

Similar  scenes  to  those  enacted  the  preceding  night 
followed  the  banquet;  only  with  variations  one  would 
hardly  believe  the  human  mind  capable  of  inventing. 

The  Queen  of  Sheba  was  even  more  reckless  and 
abandoned  than  before;  she  ordered  me  to  bring  her 
the  mantle  from  the  shoulders  of  the  "Woman  of 
Nazareth."  I  hesitated  again  to  perform  the  sacrile- 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  165 

gious  errand,  but  a  sound  blow  on  my  back  from 
Iscariot's  fist  sent  me  hurrying  to  the  chapel. 

When  I  returned  with  the  mantle  the  queen  was  in 
need  of  it,  for  she  was  not  to  be  distinguished  from  the 
nude  goddess  on  the  back  of  the  wild  boar.  I  was  so 
ashamed  for  her,  I  could  not  lift  my  eyes  when  I 
handed  her  the  mantle.  Ashtoreth  laughed  heartily  at 
me,  and  exclaimed : 

"Here,  Malchus,  I  will  drink  to  Baphomet  from  this 
flask ;  then  you  shall  drink  to  me." 

She  drank  first,  then  handed  the  flask  to  me ;  it  was 
the  same  one  she  had  presented  to  me  the  night  before. 

I  had  learned  something  since  then !  I  knew  there 
were  trick  flasks  with  two  compartments,  which  might 
contain  two  different  kinds  of  liquor  without  becoming 
mixed.  If  the  neck  of  the  flask  were  turned  to  the 
right,  one  of  the  compartments  would  be  opened ;  the 
contents  of  the  other  would  flow,  were  the  neck  turned 
to  the  left. 

When  the  heathen  queen  placed  the  flask  to  her  lips 
I  had  watched  her  closely,  and  had  seen  that  her  wrist 
turned  slightly  to  ^e  right.  This  movement  I  took 
good  care  to  copy  when  I  drank,  and,  as  I  had  guessed, 
the  wine  was  deliciously  sweet. 

I  took  a  good,  long  pull  before  removing  the  flask 
from  my  lips. 

"Very  good  wine,  isn't  it?"  observed  Ashtoreth. 

"A  trifle  bitter,"  I  replied,  making  a  wry  face,  upon 
which  she  filliped  my  nose  with  her  finger,  and  ex- 
claimed, laughingly : 

"You  don't  know  what  is  good,  Malchus !    The  wine 


166  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

in  this  flask  is  some  of  that  left  from  the  marriage  feast 
at  Cana.  You  may  keep  this  flask,  too ;  put  it  with  the 
one  I  gave  you  last  night." 

This  remark  set  the  entire  blasphemous  crew  into  a 
roar  of  merriment. 

"You  may  remove  these  vessels  now,"  said  Nebu- 
chadnezzar, when  the  laughter  had  subsided,  "and 
fetch  us  some  spiritus  vini." 

I  removed  the  unclean  church  vessels  and  brought 
from  the  cellar  a  large  stone  jug  of  spiritus  vini.  The 
simple  juice  of  the  grape  was  not  strong  enough  for  the 
drunken  demons;  they  wanted  the  more  fiery  brandy. 

An  idea  came  into  my  head  as  I  was  going  to  the 
cellar.  The  spiritus  vini  was  made  in  Russia;  the 
mouths  of  the  jugs  containing  it  were  sealed  so  skill- 
fully that  only  those  persons  who  understood  the 
secret  could  remove  the  cork.  I  had  learned  this  secret 
while  with  the  haidemaken. 

I  opened  the  jug  in  the  cellar,  poured  out  some  of 
the  brandy,  and  filled  it  up  with  the  drugged  wine  in 
the  flask  intended  for  me.  Then  I  sealed  up  the  jug 
and  took  it  to  the  banquet  hall. 

"Did  you  drink  any  of  it?"  demanded  the  knight 
whom  the  rest  called  Herod,  when  I  set  the  jug  on  the 
table. 

"I  swear  by  Baphomet  I  did  not!"  I  replied  truth- 
fully. 

"Then  open  the  jug,"  commanded  Pilate. 

I  made  believe  to  pull  and  tug  and  twist  the  cork — 
I  could  not  remove  it  from  the  neck.  At  last  Ahab 
snatched  the  jug  impatiently  from  my  hands,  and  after 


"I  took  my  lamp,  descended  to  the  crypt" 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  167 

trying  in  vain  for  several  moments  to  accomplish  what 
I  had  failed  to  do,  he  set  it  in  a  silver  basin  and  struck 
at  the  neck  with  his  "sword.  The  jug  was  broken,  of 
course,  and  the  liquor  filled  the  basin.  Then,  Bath- 
sheba  and  Tamar  flung  into  it  figs,  raisins  and  orange 
peel ;  Delilah  took  a  lighted  taper  from  the  candelabra 
and  set  fire  to  the  huge  dish  of  crambamboli;  at  the 
same  moment  all  the  other  lights  in  the  hall  were 
extinguished. 

Nebuchadnezzar  now  began  to  ladle  out  the  burning 
liquor  into  goblets  which  he  passed  to  the  rest  of  the 
company.  The  flame  dispensing  king,  with  his  four 
horns,  the  fire-sipping  forms  around  him,  their  faces 
blanched  to  a  death-like  pallor  by  the  green-blue  light 
of  the  burning  brandy,  formed  a  group  that  excelled  in 
hideousness  every  illustration  I  had  yet  seen  of  the 
danse  macabre. 

I  fled  in  horror  and  disgust  from  the  infernal  orgy, 
fully  convinced  that  I  was  not  dreaming  this  time.  I 
was  determined  to  make  my  escape  from  the  abode  of 
demons  and  idol  worshippers. 

I  said  to  myself:  "If  these  human  beings — that  they 
are  not  phantoms  I  am  convinced — came  to  the  castle 
through  the  crypt,  then  I,  another  human  being,  may 
go  out  the  way  they  entered." 

I  took  my  lamp,  descended  to  the  crypt,  and  dis- 
covered that  one  of  the  memorials,  which  lined  the 
walls,  had  been  shoved  to  one  side.  An  examination 
of  this  memento  to  a  deceased  knight  revealed  that  it 
was  not  a  slab  of  marble,  but  a  sheet  of  tin  painted  to 
imitate  the  more  solid  material.  Nor  was  the  niche  it 


168  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

covered  a  tomb,  but  the  outlet  to  a  narrow  stairway 
that  ascended  in  steep  spirals  from  the  crypt,  opposite 
to  the  one  which  descended  to  it  from  the  chapel. 

I  mounted  seventeen  steps,  when  further  progress 
was  barred  by  a  statue — that  of  Saint  Sebastian*.  The 
heroic  martyr  was  represented  bound  to  a  tree,  his 
body  rilled  with  arrows,  f  as  he  had  appeared  when 
being  tortured  to  death  by  the  commands  of  the  god- 
less Diotletian. 

I  had  seen  this  statue  often  enough  by  day  in  the 
reception-hall  of  the  castle;  then  it  stood  in  its  niche 
face  toward  the  room ;  here,  at  the  head  of  the  secret 
stairway  from  the  crypt,  it  stood  with  its  face  also 
toward  me.  "Surely,"  said  I  to  myself,  '"St.  Sebastian 
must  know  something  about  the  secret  outlet." 

And  he  did. 

I  began  to  examine  the  niche;  then  the  statue.  I 
noticed  that  three  of  the  arrows  in  the  breast  were 
brass,  and  that  the  one  in  the  middle  was  brighter  than 
the  other  two,  as  if  it  had  been  taken  hold  of  frequently. 
I  mounted  the  pedestal,  and,  with  one  arm  around  the 
saint  to  steady  myself,  I  tried  to  turn  the  brighter 
arrow.  After  a  little,  it  yieWed  to  the  pressure  of  my 
hand,  and  the  statue,  as  well  as  the  niche,  began  to 
turn  slowly  on  an  unseen  axis,  and  in  a  few  moments 
I  saw  the  starlit  sky  above  me. 

Then  I  turned  the  arrow  in  the  opposite  direction, 
and  found  myself  returned  to  my  prison.  I  had  solved 
the  mystery  of  the  phantoms'  appearance  in  the  chapel ! 
I  returned  to  the  chapel  and  examined  the  mechanism 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  169 

concealed  under  the  Arminius  monument.  What 
would  be  the  result,  I  asked  myself,  if  I  turned  the 
head  of  the  grand  master  back  to  its  proper  position? 

I  did  so,  and  the  monument  swung  back  to  its  place, 
concealing  the  entrance  to  the  hall  of  Baphomet. 

By  this  time  the  blasphemers  in  the  hall  were  sound 
asleep,  and  heaven  alone  knew  when  they  would 
waken !  And  when  they  did,  they  would  not  be  able  to 
get  out  of  their  Satan's  temple,  for  it  had  neither  door 
nor  windows. 

No  one  would  know  what  had  become  of  them — 
whither  they  had  gone.  When  they  found  a  way  out 
of  their  prison — if  ever — I  should  be  far  enough  away 
over  mountain  and  valley ! 

I  sketched  a  rapid  plan  of  escape :  I  would  go  to' the 
Archbishop  of  Aix-la-Chapelle  and  lay  information 
against  the  knights  of  Baphomet ;  and,  in  order  to  gain 
credence  for  my  story,  I  would  take  with  me  the  dese- 
crated church  vessels.  No  devout  Christian  should 
drink  again  from  the  chalice  defiled  by  the  lips  of 
Salome  and  Delilah;  should  have  his  offspring  chris- 
tened from  the  basin  polluted  by  Nebuchadnezzar; 
should  receive  the  holy  water  from  the  aspergill,  defiled 
by  being  used  to  stir  the  infernal  mixture  concocted  by 
Tamar  and  Bathsheba;  not  one  of  the  vessels  should 
be  used  again,  until  they  had  been  thoroughly  cleansed 
and  re-consecrated  by  the  proper  authorities. 

"A  most  praiseworthy  determination !  You  proved 
yourself  a  true  Christian  !"  exclaimed  the  prince,  deeply 
incensed  by  the  impiety  of  the  donnenritter,  the  mere 


170  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

hearing  of  whose  licentious  conduct  made  a  godly  man 
feel  the  need  of  absolution.  "You  did  what  any  honest 
and  respectable  Christian  would  have  done  in  your 
place!" 

"Didn't  I  say  so?" 'in  triumph  exclaimed  the  mayor, 
beating  the  table  with  his  staff.  "Didn't  I  say  the 
rascal  would  talk  himself  out  of  the  church  robbery? 
Instead  of  sentencing  him  for  the  crime,,  he,  is  com- 
mended for  it." 

Hereupon  the  prince  and  the  mayor  became  involved 
in  so  animated  a  dispute  that  each  sprang  from  his 
chair  and  begun  to  pound  with  his  fists  on  the  table 
with  such  vigor  that  the  candle-sticks,  ink-horn  and 
sand-box  danced  quite  a  lively  jig. 

The  argument  continued  until  his  highness  suddenly 
remembered  what  was  becoming  to  his  dignity;  then 
he  rapped  the  court  to  order  and  announced  that  the 
hearing  was  adjourned  until  the  next  day. 


The  following  morning  Hugo  resumed  his  confes- 
sion: 

I  found  a  stout  leather  bag  in  the  sacristy,  into 
which  I  put  all  the  church  vessels  of  gold  and  silver 
which  had  been  defiled  in  the  bacchanalian  orgies.  I 
did  not  forget  the  Virgin's  diadem,  either. 

My  left  shoulder  ached  dreadfully  under  the  heavy 
load,  but,  because  the  white  dove  I  told  you  about  was 
perched  on  the  other  shoulder,  I  would  not  shift  the 
bag  from  side  to  side,  which  would  have  made  it  easier 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  171 

to  carry.  The  revolving  Saint  Sebastian  enabled  me  to 
escape  from  the  castle,  but  I  still  had  a  high  bastion  to 
scale.  I  found  the  rope  ladder  by  means  of  which  the 
women  had  climbed  over,  and  very  soon  I  was  on  the 
high  road,  travelling  as  swiftly  as  I  could  for  the  heavy 
bag,  toward  the  harbor — 

"Hold !"  interrupted  the  chair,  "I've  caught  you  at 
last !  If  what  you  have  told  us  is  true,  why  didn't  you 
go  at  once  with  the  bag  of  church  property  to  the 
burgomaster  of  the  city,  and  tell  him  of  your  discovery 
at  the  castle?  The  impious  revellers  might  have  been 
taken  into  custody  that  same  night." 

"Yes — yes — "  the  prince  made  haste  to  add,  "why 
didn't  you  do  that,  instead  of  thinking  it  necessary  to 
escape  on  a  ship?" 

"I  believe  I  can  explain  my  action  to  the  satisfaction 
of  the  high-born  gentlemen,"  deferentially  responded 
the  prisoner.  "You  will  understand  at  once  why  I 
wanted  to  take  a  ship,  when  I  tell  you  the  name  of  the 
city.  It  was  Stettin.  It  was  in  possession,  at  that  time, 
of  Gustavus  Adolphus,  whose  heretic  generals  cared 
very  little  whether  the  Blessed  Virgin  or  Baphomet 
were  worshipped  in  the  Catholic  churches,  which  had 
already  been  desecrated  more  than  once  by  themselves. 
Indeed,  the  relations  between  the  knights  and  the 
heretics  was  most  friendly,  because  the  former  had 
joined  forces  with  the  Swedes,  and  had  fought  bravely 
against  the  imperial  beleaguerers.  They  -were  •  loyal 
comrades  in  arms  with  the  heretics.  That  is  why  I 
deemed  it  wiser  to  escape  from  the  city — " 


172  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

"And  you  were  right — quite  right !"  with  unmistak- 
able approval  in  histone,  commented  the  prince.  "The 
Swedish  heretics  were  not  the  proper  authorities  to 
settle  so  sacred  and  important  a  matter.  The  furtum 
sacrosanctorum  may  be  stricken  from  the  list  of  indict- 
ments." 

"As  may  all  that  follow!"  growled  the  mayor  into 
his  beard.  "Now  we  shall  hear  how.  this  innocent 
criminal  disposes  of  the  homicidiuml 


PART  V. 


THE  HOMICIDE. 

CHAPTER  I. 
ON  BOARD  MYNHEER'S  SHIP. 

A  convincing  proof  of  my  honest  and  pious  inten- 
tions is,  that  notwithstanding  I  was  in  great  need  of 
money — I  hadn't  a  penny  to  my  name! — it  never 
occurred  to  me  to  help  myself  from  the  alms-box  at  the 
door  of  the  chapel,  which,  at  such  seasons  like  Passion 
Week,  was  always  well  filled. 

I  had  no  "motive"  to  carry  the  box  with  me — it  had 
not  been  defiled  by  sacrilegious  hands. 

I  still  wore  the  dress  in  which  I  had  masqueraded  as 
a  lictor:  the  Roman  balten,  the  leathern  caliga,  the 
chalizeh  sandals  with  straps,  and  the  ancient  Hebrew 
pallium.  Anywhere  else  in  the  civilized  world  a  man 
garbed  as  I  was  would  have  been  arrested  as  a  vaga- 
bond lunatic ;  but  I  was  not  molested  in  Stettin. 

That  city,  under  Swedish  domination,  was  a  free 
port ;  the  mouth  of  the  Oder  was  crowded  with  vessels 
of  all  sorts,  from  all  countries.  The  quay  swarmed 

X173J. 


174  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

with  negroes,  Spaniards,  Turks,  Chinese— all  nationali- 
ties, all  the  costumes  of  the  globe  were  represented. 
Consequently  no  one,  however  striking  may  have  been 
his  garb,  would  have  attracted  special  attention.  Nor 
did  I,  as  I  passed  through  the  crowd  in  search  of  a 
vessel  that  was  lifting  her  anchor,  preparatory  to 
sailing  at  once. 

Chance  led  me  to  a  Dutch  ship. 

The  owner  of  the  craft,  Mynheer  Ruissen,  paid  no 
attention  to  me  until  after  we  were  out  of  the  harbor, 
and  were  scudding  before  a  favorable  wind.  Then,  as 
he  was  passing  along  the  deck,  his  eyes  fell  on  me, 
where  I  was  sitting  near  the  rail,  with  my  bag  by  my 
side. 

He  stopped  in  front  of  me,  thrust  his  hands  into  the 
pockets  of  his  coat,  and,  after  a  moment's  close  scru- 
tiny, addressed  me  in  a  language  I  had  never  heard 
before.  He  tried  several  different  tongues — oriental 
by  their  sound — with  the  same  result.  I  could  only 
indicate  by  shaking  my  head  that  I  did  not  understand 
him.  At  last  he  became  impatient,  and  exclaimed  in 
Flemish : 

"Potztausend-wetter !  What  language  does  this  fel- 
low speak,  I  wonder?" 

I  understood  him  then,  and  told  him  I  could  speak 
Dutch,  and  that  I  was  not  a  heathen  from  the  Orient, 
but  a  native  of  Europe,  and  a  Christian  like  himself. 

"And  where  are  you  going,  may  I  ask?" 

"Wherever  your  ship  will  take  me,"  I  answered. 

"Have  you  the  money  to  pay  for  your  passage?" 

"Not  a  solitary  batz." 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  175 

"Have  you  anything  of  value?" 

"I  have  a  beautiful  golden  flask  set  with  precious 
gems,  which  I  will  give  you  as  a  pledge,  or  in  payment 
— as  you  prefer." 

"Did  you  come  by  it  honestly?" 

"I  will  take  my  oath  that  I  did  not  steal  it  A 
.beautiful  woman  gave  it  to  me  as  a  s-auvenir.  May  I 
sink  with  this  ship  to  the  bottom  of  the  sea,  if  every 
word  I  tell  you  is  not  true !" 

"Na,  Na, !  you  needn't  mind  swearing  in  that  way," 
hastily  interposed  Mynheer.  "I  don't  want  my  ship  to 
go  to  the  bottom  of  the  sea  !  Is  the  flask  worth  enough 
to  pay  for  your  passage  to  Hamburg?" 

"It  would  fetch  more  than  your  whole  ship !" 

He  paused  a  moment,  then  asked  again : 

"What  have  you  got  in  that  bag?" 

"Gold  and  silver  vessels,  and  jewels." 

"Are  they  souvenirs  too?  There,  there,  you  needn't 
mind  swearing  again !  I  won't  arrest  you — it's  no 
concern  of  mine  how  you  came  by  them/' 

I  told  him  then  that  if  he  would  take  me  to  his.pri- 
vate  cabin,  I  would  tell  him  how  I  came  to  have  the 
valuables  in  my  possession. 

He  led  me  to  his  cabin,  where  he  bade  me  place  the 
leather  bag  in  the  corner.  Then  he  ordered  one  mug 
of  beer  to  be  brought;  filled  a  porcelain  pipe — about 
the  size  of  a  thimble — with  tobacco,  thrust  the  stem 
between  his  lips,  but  did  not  light  it — I  dare  say, 
because  he  feared  it  might  burn  out  before  he  had  emp- 
tied the  beer  mug,  from  which  he  took  an  occasional 
sip  while  I  was  telling  him  my  story. 


176  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

When  I  had  told  him  of  the  scandalous  scenes  in  the 
castle,  and  of  my  escape  with  the  defiled  vessels,  which 
I  had  decided  to  take  to  the  archbishop,  Mynheer 
removed  the  pipe  from  his  lips,  deliberately  knocked 
the  tobacco  into  the  palm  of  his  hand  and  emptied  it 
into  the  tobacco-pouch.  Then  he  drained  the  last  sip 
of  beer  from  the  mug,  thrust  his  hands  into  his  pockets 
and  said : 

"Well,  my  son,  you  have  acted  cleverly,  and  stupidly 
at  the  same  time.  To  fetch  the  things  away  with  you, 
was  clever — very!  But,  to  decide  that  you — by  your- 
self— a  poor  unknown  devil,  would  be  believed  by  the 
archbishop,  when  you  accused  so  powerful  an  order  as 
the  Dornenritter  of  blasphemy  and  sacrilege,  was  stupid' 
in  the  extreme.  Nobody  will  believe  your  story;  you 
will  be  ridiculed,  and  told  that  you  dreamed  all  these 
things." 

"But,"  I  interposed,  "how  could  I  have  dreamed 
things,  no  living  being  ever  saw  with  his  eyes,  or  heard 
with  his  ears?  How  could  I  have  dreamed  the  Bapho- 
met  worship?  How  could  I  have  dreamed  names  like 
Jaldabaoth  and  Ophiomorpho,  and  that  disquisition 
around  the  sarcophagus?" 

"Why,  you  stupid  lad !  Don't  you  see  they  will  say 
you  have  been  reading  the  secret  pamphlet  which  was 
published  by  the  opponents  of  the  Ancient  Order  of 
Templars?  But,  what  was  permitted  to.  King  Philip 
will  not  be  tolerated  in  you ;  you  will  not  be  allowed  to 
tell  stories  about  Baphomet  idolatry,  and  serpent  wor- 
ship. And,  suppose  you  are  allowed  to  tell  what  you 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  Ill 

'saw  with  your  eyes  and  heard  with  your  ears' — you 
have  no  witness  to  prove  that  what  you  say  is  true." 

"Oh,  haven't  I?"  I  cried,  triumphantly  producing 
from  the  leather  bag  the  pyx  with  its  contents.  "Here 
is  my  witness:  this  sacred  wafer,  defiled  by  the  idol- 
worshippers.  See !  here  in  the  center  of  it,  is  the  print 
of  Ashtoreth's  slipper  heel,  where  she  trod  it  under 
foot.  You  see,  it  is  directly  over  the  banner  of  the 
Agnus  Dei?" 

Mynheer  deliberately  adjusted  his  large  spectacles  on 
the  bridge  of  his  nose,  and  scrutinized  the  wafer. 

"Donnerwetter!"  he  growled,  "you  are  right,  lad, 
this  is  the  symbol  of  Baphomet :  a  half-moon,  a  double- 
headed  serpent  curved  to  form  the  figure  8.  Hm,  hm — 
you  have  acted  in  a  praiseworthy  manner  after  all !  By 
bringing  this  wafer  with  you,  you  have  saved  the  souls 
of  many  devout  Christians  from  eternal  damnation,  in 
that  you  have  hindered  them  from  kneeling  in  adora- 
tion today  at  mass  before  this  symbol  of  Baphomet! 
Indeed,  half  Stettin  will  owe  thanks  to  you  if,  instead  of 
damnation,  it  wins  salvation !  Your  brave  and  valiant 
deed  will  save  from  the  flames  of  hell  at  least  twelve 
thousand  souls !  Therein  lies  the  wisdom  of  your 
action ;  the  unwisdom  will  come  to  the  fore  when  you 
ask  yourself:  'What  shall  I  do  with  these  desecrated 
vessels?' 

"You  thought  to  arraign  an  entire  order — nay,  two, 
for  those  wanton  females  must  belong  to  an  order  of 
some  sort.  To  accuse  a  religious  body  is  always 
extremely  dangerous — specially  so,  if  the  order  be. 
composed  of  women.  I  am  afraid  it  will  result  in  your 


178  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

ruin;  you  will  most  likely  be  arrested  for  stealing 
church  property — the  punishment  for  which  is  death  at 
the  stake.  What  will  your  word  be  worth  against  the 
denials  of  the  knights?  Do  you  imagine  that  any  trace 
of  their  scandalous  revelry  will  be  found?  Not  by  a 
good  deal !  You  will  be  pronounced  a  wicked  calumni- 
ator ;  unless  you  want  them  to  cut  off  your  tongue,  you 
will  keep  it  silent  between  your  teeth !" 

"Then  what  shall  I  do  with  these  things?"  I  asked 
in  perplexity,  giving  the  bag  a  thrust  with  my  foot. 
"Shall  I  take  them  back  to  the  castle?—" 

"That"— interrupted  Mynheer— "would  be  the  stu- 
pidest thing  you  could  do.  The  sir  knights  would, 
beyond  a  doubt,  have  you  walled  into  some  corner  of 
the  castle,  where  you  might  await  the  resurrection 
with  what  patience  you  could  summon !" 

"Then,  what  would  you  advise  me  to  do?"  I  asked 
again. 

"Well,  my  son,  I  say,  that  what  you  have  in  your 
possession  belongs  to  you;  accept  it  as  the  gift  of 
heaven — though  you  acquired  it  from  Satan.  When 
we  get  to  Hamburg  I  will  direct  you  where  to  find  an 
honest  man  whose  business  it  is  to  relieve  pious  folk  of 
any  treasure  they  may  have  taken  from  Satan — or, 
found  where  it  was  not  lost.  I  am  acquainted  with  a 
Christian  of  that  sort ;  you  need  not  be  afraid  to  trust 
him — he  is  honest  as  a  Quaker,  and  would  not  cheat 
anyone — on  Sunday !  I  think  I  may  trust  you  to  dis- 
pose of  your  treasure  as  cleverly  as  you — appropriated 
it,  which,  after  all,  is  me  chief  secret  of  trade !" 


CHAPTER  II. 
THE  MOO-CALF. 

I  dare  say  your  highness,  and  gentlemen  of  the 
court,  have  heard  a  good  many  stories  about  the  moo- 
calf?  I  shall  abstain  from  expressing  just  here  an  opin- 
ion of  the  mysterious  creature  as,  by  so  doing,  I  should 
anticipate  the  denouement  of  one  of  my  most  remark- 
able adventures.  I  think  almost  every  dweller  in  Cob- 
lentz  has  heard  of  the  moo-calf's  strange  doings;  for 
there  are  numerous  records  in  the  chronicles  of  the 
city,  of  its  mysterious  appearance  and  behavior. 

The  moo-calf  ordinarily  appears  in  those  cities  where 
the  Jews  have  multiplied  excessively,  and  attained  to 
power. 

It  is  a  well-known  fact  that  a  calf  is  the  meekest,  the 
most  innocent  of  animals,  that  it  has  never  been  known 
to  assault  anyone,  that  it  would  be  the  least  likely  of 
all  the  animal  kingdom  to  wield  a  boundless  tyranny 
over  an  entire  community.  Therefore,  I  do  not  believe 
all  the  terrifying  tales  I  have  heard  about  the  moo-calf. 
Do  any  of  the  gentlemen  here  believe  them? 

Several  members  of  the  court  admitted  that  they 
believed  the  tales ;  some  thought  a  portion  might  be 
true,  others  were  non-committal.  So  much  time  was 
given  to  the  discussion,  that  the  chair  was  at  last 

(179). 


180  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

obliged  to  interfere.  He  said  to  the  prisoner — after 
rapping  impatiently  for  order : 

"You  are  not  here  to  ask  questions,  but  to  be  ques- 
tioned. Now  let  us  hear  what  you  have  to  say  about 
the  moo-calf?" 

Hugo  bowed  and  resumed  his  confession : 

When  we  arrived  at  Hamburg,  Mynheer  so  man- 
aged matters,  that  it  was  evening  when  he  and  I  went 
ashore.  With  the  bag  of  valuables  on  my  back,  I 
tramped  after  him  to  the  suburb  of  St.  Paul,  to  seek 
in  the  winding,  and  zig-zag  streets  of  the  "Hamberger 
Berg,"  the  house  of  the  honest  Christian,  who  would 
relieve  my  back,  and  incidentally  my  mind,  of  the  load 
of  treasure. 

We  pushed  our  way  with  whole  skins  through  a  con- 
fusion of  menagerie  booths,  puppet-shows,  jugglery 
and  rope-dancing  exhibitions,  which  their  proprietors 
importuned  us  to  patronize,  avoided  with  some  diffi- 
culty the  crowds  of  tipsy  sailors,  and  at  last  arrived  in 
front  of  the  house  we  were  seeking. 

The  name  of  the  owner  was  Meyer — a  by  no  means 
rare  cognomen  in  Germany ! 

He  was  a  Lutheran,  as  eleven-twelfths  of  the  resi- 
dents of  Hamburg  are.  They  alone  possess  the  rights 
of  citizenship. 

Mynheer  Ruissen  took  Herr  Meyer  to  one  side,  and 
communicated  to  him  what  business  had  brought  me  to 
Hamburg,  whereupon  Herr  Meyer  without  further 
ceremony  invited  me  to  sup  with  him. 

"I  hope" — here  impatiently  interrupted  the  chair — 
"you  don't  intend  to  waste  more  of  our  time  by  an 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  181 

enumeration  and  description  of  the  various  dishes  you 
partook  of?" 

"No,  your  honor,  though  it  would  not  take  long  to 
tell  what  we  had  for  supper.  Herr  Meyer  placed  before 
me  nothing  but  bread,  cheese  and  water.  He  could  not 
say  enough  in  praise  of  the  bread  and  cheese,  and  he 
boasted  that  the  water,  which  he  said  was  from  the 
Elias  fountain,  possessed  the  most  remarkable  proper- 
ties. While  I  ate,  he  examined  in  turn  each  of  the 
vessels  I  had  taken  from  the  bag  and  placed  on  the 
table,  exclaiming  over  every  piece,  and  making  a 
peculiar  noise  with  his  tongue  against  the  inside  of  his 
upper  teeth : 

"A  baptismal  basin !  Tse-tse-tse !  How  could  you 
dare  to  take  this?  A  censer!  tse-tse-tse!  Young  man, 
did  it  never  occur  to  you  that  you  were  defying  Satan 
when  you  put  this  into  your  bag?  A  communion-cup  ! 
tse-tse-tse!  I  should  think  your  soul  would  be 
oppressed  with  its  weight  of  sin !  And — actually ! — the 
Holy  Virgin's  diadem !  Woe-woe-woe,  to  you,  miser- 
able sinner !"  I  could  listen  no  longer  to  his  lugubri- 
ous comments: 

"Oh,  hush,  Master  Meyer,"  I  interrupted,  "what  use 
to  talk  like  that?  You  needn't  think  to  frighten  me 
with  your  lamentations.  I  am  a  Lutheran  like  your- 
self— rather  let  us  talk  about  the  value  of  these  things : 
What  will  you  give  for  the  whole  lot?  But,  before  we 
talk  business,  bring  me  something  more  palatable  to 
eat  and  drink.  Your  bread  and  cheese  and  water  are 
not  to  my  taste." 

"Very  good,  you  shall  have  something  else,"  with 


162  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

sudden  alacrity  responded  Master  Meyer,  whose  opin- 
ion of  me  was  evidently  improving.  He  hurried  to  the 
kitchen,  and  soon  returned  with  so-me  salt  fish,  and  a 
jug  of  good  cider,,  which  he  placed  before  me. 

Then  he  proceeded  to  appraise  the  church  vessels, 
and  the  diadem,  telling  me  the  while  that  I  ought  to 
be  thankful  his  dear  old  friend  Mynheer  Ruissen  had 
led  me  to  him.  How  easily  I  might  have  fallen  into  the 
hands  of  the  papists,  who  would  certainly  have  im- 
prisoned me — and  perhaps  put  me  to  death;  or  into 
those  of  the  Jews,  who  had  swarmed  from  Spain  into 
Hamburg,  and  were  ruining  all  honest  tradesmen.  The 
rascally  Hebrews  would  offer  only  ridiculously  low 
prices  for  articles  they  suspected  had  been  acquired  by 
means  not  altogether  legitimate,  and  would  give  in 
payment  for  them  counterfeit  money.  And,  wasn't  the 
cod-fish  I  was  eating  most  appetizing? 

After  he  had  examined  my  treasures  two  or  three 
times,  he  said  he  would  give  me  six  hundred  thalers 
for  the  lot — and  that  I  might  drink  all  of  the  cider  into 
the  bargain. 

"See  here,  Master  Meyer,"  I  replied,  "your  fish  is  so 
salty  it  makes  one  want  to  drink  continually,  and  your 
cider  is  so  sour,  I  would  rather  not  eat  your  fish  than 
to  have  to  quench  my  thirst  with  the  cider.  And, 
moreover,  I  will  take  my  treasures  to  the  Jews'  quarter, 
where  I  shall  no  doubt  find  some  one  who  will  give 
more  than  a  paltry  six  hundred  thalers  to  a  poor  ship- 
wrecked traveller  for  a  lot  of  articles  that  are  worth  at 
least  twenty  times  the  sum  you  offer." 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  183 

At  these  words  my  worthy  host  beat  his  hands 
together  above  his  head,  and  exclaimed : 

"My  dear  son!  how  will  you  find  your  way  to  the 
Jews'  quarter  at  this  late  hour?  It  would  be  very 
unwise — nay,  dangerous,  for  you  to  attempt  it.  Don't 
you  know  that  the  moo-calf  makes  its  appearance 
about  this  time?" 

I  shrugged  my  shoulders  to  indicate  that  I  was  not 
afraid  of  a  moo-calf. 

"But,  my  dear  son,  you  don't  know  what  a  terrible 
creature  the  moo-calf  is.  It  has  become  even  more 
terrible  and  ferocious  since  the  Jews  have  multiplied 
to  such  numbers  in  Hamburg.  These  Spanish  Jews 
understand  all  sorts  of  witch-craft.  It  was  they  who 
discovered  that  if  a  young  calf  is  fed  on  human  blood 
instead  of  milk,  it  will  become  savage  as  a  lion.  This 
is  the  sort  of  moo-calf  they  have  turned  loose  in  the 
Hamberger  Berg.  It  roams  through  the  streets  at 
night,  terrifying  to  death  every  person  it  meets,  and 
scatters  the  watchmen  in  all  directions.  It  tears  the 
bells  from  the  house  doors ;  it  has  teeth  so  sharp  that  it 
can  snap  off  the  pole  of  a  halberd  as  easily  as  if  it  were 
a  pipe-stem;  and  its  tongue  is  rough  as  a  cloth- 
shearer's  brush.  It  roars  like  a  lion,  bellows  like  a  wild 
bull,  snorts  like  a  whole  herd  of  wild  horses ;  clatters 
through  the  streets  like  a  luggage  van,  clappers  like  a 
fulling-mill,  and  crows  like  a  cock  that  is  possessed. 
It  takes  special  delight  in  pursuing  honest  men  and 
fathers  of  families,  who  suspect  their  wives  and  daugh- 
ters of  adventure,  and  if  it  chances  to  catch  one  of 
them,  he  will  not  very  soon  forget  the  moo-calf — that 


184  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

is  if  he  escapes  with  his  head  to  remember  it !  Another 
favorite  trick  with  the  calf  is:  to  steal  upon  a  pair  of 
lovers,  and  roar  at  them  with  such  a  terrible  voice  that 
they  die  of  fright — " 

"And  what  sort  of  looking  beast  is  this  moo-calf?" 
I  interrupted. 

"Why,  no  one  can  tell  what  it  looks  like,  my  son. 
Those  who  have  been  unfortunate  enough  to  encounter 
it  on  the  street  have  had  a  stream  of  fire  blown  into 
their  eyes  from  the  beast's  nostrils,  and  they  were  not 
able  to  see  for  weeks  afterward.  The  man  who  is  brave 
enough  to  thrust  his  head  out  the  window  when  he 
hears  the  moo-calf  bellow,  will  be  sure  to  regret  his 
curiosity,  for  his  head  will  swell  to  such  a  size  that  he 
will  not  be  able  for  several  days  to  get  it  back  through 
the  window.  That  is  why  no  one  is  able  to  tell  what 
the  monster  is  like.  I  only  know  that  it  has  the  power 
to  stretch  its  neck  to  such  a  length  that  it  can  look 
into  the  upper  windows  of  a  house.  Oh,  I  can  assure 
you,  it  is  a  most  horrible  creature !" 

I  had  had  ample  time,  while  he  was  descanting  on 
the  moo-calf's  terrible  doings,  to  replace  my  treasures 
in  the  bag. 

"Then  there  really  is  such  a  monster?"  I  observed, 
shouldering  my  load. 

He  swore  by  all  he  held  dear,  that  the  moo-calf  not 
only  existed,  but  that  it  roamed  the  streets  of  Ham- 
burg almost  every  night. 

"Have  you  any  desire  to  make  a  bet  with  me?"  I 
asked. 

"A  bet?— on  what?" 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  185 

"That  I  can  eat  a  whole  calf  at  a  sitting — especially 
when  I  have  a  ravenous  appetite  as  now.  Fetch  me 
your  moo-calf  and  I'll  devour  him,  hoofs,  hide  and 
tail !" 

I  dropped  the  bag  from  my  shoulder  to  the  table, 
drew  forth  the  short  Roman  sword,  which  was  part  of 
my  lictor's  costume,  and  sharpened  it  on  the  steel. 

"Now,  fetch  on  your  moo-calf,"  I  repeated,  again 
shouldering  the  bag  and  making  as  if  I  were  going  to 
quit  the  house. 

"And  you  really  are  not  afraid  of  the  moo-calf?" 
exclaimed  Master  Meyer,  placing  himself  in  front  of 
me,  believing  I  intended  to  pursue  my  way.  "I  see  you 
are  a  headstrong  lad,  but,  as  I  have  taken  a  fancy  to 
you,  I  don't  want  you  to  run  any  risks.  Come,  make 
up  your  mind  to  stop  here  until  morning.  We  will 
agree  on  a  price  for  your  treasures ;  and  then  have  sup- 
per together." 

"No,  thanks,"  I  returned,  my  face  still  toward  the 
street  door.  "I  don't  want  any  more  dried  codfish.  The 
season  of  fasting  is  over — besides,  I  am  no  priest,  and 
if  I  were  I  shouldn't  object  to  wine." 

"You  shall  have  whatever  you  want,  my  son.  Put 
down  your  bag,  and  make  yourself  at  home."  And  he 
hurried  into  the  kitchen  to  give  his  orders. 

After  several  minutes  he  returned,  clad  in  an  entire 
suit  of  new  clothes;  on  his  arm  he  carried  another 
handsome  suit,  which  he  begged  me  to  accept  as  a 
present  from  him,  adding  that  I  would  find  in  the 
pocket  of  the  coat  in  a  purse  the  sum  he  was  willing  to 


186  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

pay  for  my  treasures,  and  with  which  he  knew  I  would 
be  quite  satisfied. 

When  I  opened  the  purse  I  found  in  it  fifty  doub- 
loons, and  a  slip  of  paper. 

"What  is  this?"  I  inquired,  holding  the  paper  toward 
him. 

"A  promissory  note  for  two-thousand  thalers,  pay- 
able in  three  months." 

I  knew  very  well  that  a  note  of  hand  was  as  good  as 
money,  and  was  quite  satisfied  with  the  trade — only, 
the  time  of  payment  was  too  long  distant  to  suit  me. 

"It  is  a  Hamburg  custom,  my  son,"  replied  Master 
Meyer  when  I  mentioned  my  objections.  "The  money 
must  have  time  to  mature." 

I  was  obliged  to  be  satisfied,  besides,  fifty  doubloons 
would  be  quite  enough  to  keep  me  in  food  and  raiment 
for  three  months. 

The  supper  Master  Meyer  now  placed  before  me 
was  of  a  sort  I  would  not  have  believed  his  larder  capa- 
ble of  supplying — judging  from  the  fare  he  had  offered 
me  first.  There  were  pasties  of  all  sorts,  game,  con- 
fections and  a  choice  selection  of  wines.  Of  the  last  I 
took  special  care  not  to  imbibe  too  freely.  Master 
Meyer's  family  joined  us  at  the  repast;  there  were 
three  daughters,  comely,  and  of  marriageable  age ;  and 
a  son.  The  latter,  I  was  informed,  was  a  student  at  the 
university.  I  thought  him  rather  advanced  in  years  for 
a  student ! 

There  was  not  the  least  resemblance  between  the 
three  young  women;  no  one  would  have  taken  them 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  18? 

to  be  sisters.  They  were  merry  creatures,  sang  and 
played  on  the  harp  and  the  guitar. 

One  of  them,  a  blonde,  was  very  pretty.  I  noticed 
that  she  stole  frequent  glances  toward  me,  and  when 
her  eyes  met  mine  she  would  blush  and  smile 
enchantingly. 

I  was  still  young,  and  not  at  all  averse  to  a  flirta- 
tion. Moreover,  I  was  a  widower.  I  had  had  enough 
experience  with  the  fairer  sex,  however,  to  teach  me 
that  it  would  be  well  to  be  on  my  guard. 

Master  Meyer  had  introduced  me  to  his  family  as 
"Junker  Hermann."  The  blonde  daughter's  name  was 
Agnes.  She  was  a  sentimental  and  romantic  maid.  I 
sat  by  her  side  at  supper,  and  was  so  flustered  by  the 
glances  from  her  blue  eyes,  I  could  think  of  nothing 
more  sensible  to  say  to  her  than :  "that  when  the  dear 
Lord  should  bestow  on  me  a  family,  I  would  have 
just  such  spoons  as  her  father's" — with  which  we  were 
eating  the  chocolate  cream — and  that  my  own  and  my 
wife's  crests  should  be  engraved  on  the  handles.  This 
remark  led  me  to  observe  further  that  I  thought  the 
initial  letters  of  Hermann  and  Agnes  would  form  a 
pretty  monogram.  My  fair  neighbor  could  not  see 
just  how  the  letters  might  be  arranged.  I  told  her  it 
was  very  simple :  the  A  need  only  be  inserted  between 
the  two  uprights  of  the  H  to  make  the  union  perfect. 

I  wanted  the  Meyers  to  believe  that  I  was  a  genuine 
cavalier,  so  I  said  to  the  father — after  I  had  emptied 
my  third  glass  of  wine : 

"That  ring  on  your  finger  pleases  me  very  much.  I 
should  like  to  buy  it." 


188  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

"Well,  you  see,  Junker  Hermann,"  he  returned 
slowly,  turning  the  ring  on  his  finger,  "this  is  a  costly 
piece  of  jewelry.  The  carbuncle  alone  is  wbrth  fifty 
thalers;  besides,  the  ring  is  an  heirloom.  I  wouldn't 
sell  it  for  seventy  thalers." 

"Would  you  sell  it  for  eighty?" 

"I  wouldn't  let  anyone  but  you,  Junker  Hermann, 
have  it  at  any  price !  As  you  seem  to  have  taken  such 
a  fancy  to  it,  then  take  it,  in  God's  name,  for  eighty 
thalers." 

"All  right,"  said  I.  "Just  keep  the  eighty  thalers  out 
of  the  two-thousand  you  owe  me 

At  mention  of  the  two-thousand  thalers  Agnes 
helped  me  to  a  second  dish  of  chocolate  cream. 

"I  will  draw  up  a  note  for  the  amount/'  said  her 
father.  "We  are  only  human,  and  no  one  can  tell  what 
may  happen  to  me." 

"Write  whatever  you  like  and  I'll  scrawl  my  signa- 
ture to  it,"  I  replied  disdainfully. 

When  he  had  quitted  the  room,  Agnes  whispered  to 
me: 

"I  am  very  sorry  father  sold  his  ring.  It  is  a  talis- 
man in  our  family,  and  was  given  to  my  mother  as  a 
wedding-present." 

"And  suppose" — I  whispered  back  to  her — "my  buy- 
ing it  does  not  take  it  out  of  the  family?" 

"I  don't  quite  understand  you,"  she  replied,  casting 
down  her  eyes,  and  blushing. 

"I  shall  make  my  meaning  clearer  when  I  may  speak 
to  you  alone." 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  189 

"That  can  be  arranged  very  easily,  Junker  Her- 
mann ;  when  the  family  have  gone  to  their  rooms  for 
the  night,  we  can  meet  in  the  bow-window  chamber — 
then  you  can  tell  me  what  you  have  to  say." 

The  father  now  returned  with  the  note  to  the  dining- 
room.  It  was  for  one-hundred  thalers,  that  being  the 
sum — principal  and  interest — I  should  owe  Master 
Meyer  at  the  expiration  of  three  months. 

I  did  not  think  it  worth  while  to  waste  words  over 
the  usurious  interest  charged;  but  signed  my  name 
with  cavalier  sangfroid,  and  the  ring  was  transferred 
from  Master  Meyer's  hand  to  my  own.  As  my  hand 
was  considerably  larger  than  his,  which  was  exceed- 
ingly thin  and  bony,  I  could  only  get  the  ring  on  the 
second  joint  of  my  little  ringer. 

Just  at  that  moment  Rupert,  the  elderly  student, 
must  have  made  a  teasing  remark  to  his  sister;  for 
the  three  at  once  set  upon  him,  and  began  to  belabor 
him  with  their  fists,  and  cry  out  that  he  should  not 
have  any  more  wine  that  evening. 

"Very  well,"  he  exclaimed,  laughing,  "then  I'll  go  to 
the  tavern  and  get  some." 

He  invited  me  to  accompany  him;  saying  that  we 
should  find  at  the  tavern  some  good  company  and  bad 
wine.  I  excused  myself  on  the  plea  that  I  was  very 
tired,  and  wanted  to  rest.  He  departed  alone,  and  we 
heard  him  singing,  and  knocking  against  the  doors 
with  his  stick,  as  he  staggered  down  the  street. 

Good-nights  were  now  exchanged,  and  each  one 
went  to  his  or  her  room.  I  waited  with  considerable 
impatience  until  the  house  had  become  quiet;  then  I 


I!M»  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

stole  on  tip-toe  to  the  bow-window  chamber.  This 
apartment  is  in  the  top  story  of  the  house,  and  proj'-r  ts 
several  feet  over  the  street  A  bright  moon  illumined 
the  cozy  chamber,  so  that  a  lamp  was  not  necessary. 

I  had  not  long  to  wait;  the  soft  rustle  of  feminine 
garments  very  soon  announced  the  coming  of  my 
charming  Agnes. 

I  met  her  at  the  door,  took  her  hand  in  mine,  and 
di<-\v  her  into  i IK- bow- window.  She  asked  me  without 
fin  t her  ceremony,  to  explain  how  the  ring  I  had 
bought  from  her  father  could  remain  in  their  family 
now  that  I  was  the  owner  of  it. 

"Nothing  easier  in  the  world!  my  dear  Agnes/'  I 
made  answer.  "I  need  only  to  slip  it  on  your  finger  as 
an  engagement  ring." 

She  understood  my  explanation,  and  allowed  me  to 
place  on  the  third  fm^er  of  her  left   hand  the  rin^  for 
which  I  owed  one-hundred  thalers.    After  this  cere- 
mony I  asked — as  was  natural — if  I  might  seal  the 
mi  \\iih  a  kiss — " 

"Hal  I  knew  that  was  coming  1"  interrupted  the 
chair;  "we  don't  care  to  hear  that  sort  of  evidence." 

"Why,"  pacifically  interposed  the  prince.  "Why,  a 
kiss  is  nothing  out  of  the  way." 

"One  kiss  would  not  be;  but  it  would  not  stop  ;ii 
one;  a  second  and  a  third — and  heaven  only  knows 
how  many  more  would  follow,  and— 

"Pray  allow  me  to  conti;idi<  t  your  honor/'  respe<  t 
fully  mtemipied  the  prisoner.    "There  was  only  one.   I 
will  .idinit  that  I  was  about  to  help  myself  to  more,  but 
I  was  hindered — " 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  lt>l 

*T>y  the  white  dove  on  your  shoulder,  of  coin •>. 
interrupted  the  mayor's  ironical  tones. 

"No.  your  honor,  not  the  white  dove.    Just  at  the 
moment    1    \\as   going   to  take  the  second   kiss,  there 
came  from  the  street  directly  underneath  the  ho\\ 
dow,  the  most  unearthly  sounds — as  if  a  herd  of  at 
hams  were  bellowing  for  their  supper.     I  IK 
heard  so  hideous  a  noise.     It  was  a  mixture  of  the 
squealing  of  a  wild  boar:  the  neighing  of  a  horse:  the 
blare  of  a  trumpet,  and  the  clattering  of  a  I 
over  cobbles.*' 

Jesu  Maria!  the  moo-calf!"  shrieked  my  terror- 
stricken  betrothed,  tearing  herself  from  my  arms.  The 
next  instant  she  had  vanished,  with  my  hundred-thaler 
ring. 

Furious  with  rage,  and  not  a  little  fear.  1  sprang  to 
the  window,  thing  back  the  sash,  and  thrust  out   my 
head — never  once  thinking  of  the  dire  result   which 
would  follow  such  action:  my  head  swollen  to  the 
of  a  barrel. 

However,  that  did  not  happen  to  me;  hut  enough 
pepper  w;is  blown  into  my  eyes  to  prevent  me,  most 
effectually,  from  seeing  anything  on  the  earth,  or  in  the 
heaven!  I  howled  with  pain  and  rage— -compared  to 
the  sounds  which  came  from  my  throat,  the  moo  calf> 
bellowing  was  the  weakly  puling  of  an  infant. 

r.ut.  such  was  the  fear  of  my  host  and  hi>  daughters, 
of  the  fiendish  brute,  that  not  one  of  them  ventured  to 
come  to  my  assistance.  1  was  obliged  to  grope  my 
way  unaided  to  my  room,  and  to  wash  the  pepper  from 
my  blinded  eyes  as  best  I  could. 


192  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

While  I  was  thus  engaged  Rupert  returned  home, 
and  joined  his  howls  to  mine;  he  said  the  moo-calf 
had  attacked  him,  and  almost  done  for  him.  His  face 
and  clothes  were  proof  of  a  rough  and  tumble 
encounter  with  something:  the  former  was  scratched 
and  bleeding,  and  his  garments  looked  as  though  he 
had  had  a  scuffle  with  an  enraged  eagle.  His  bed  and 
mine  were  in  the  same  room,  and  neither  of  us  slept 
very  much  that  night.  The  student  was  frightfully  ill ; 
he  kept  muttering  constantly  something  about  the 
moo-calf ;  while  I  sat  by  the  basin  until  daylight,  mop- 
ping my  eyes  with  water. 

The  cursed  moo-calf !  Why  didn't  he  bellow  before 
I  gave  my  costly  ring  into  Agnes'  keeping?  It  was 
not  at  all  likely  that  I  should  soon  have  another  oppor- 
tunity to  be  alone  with  her ! 

The  next  morning  Master  Meyer  gave  me  to  under- 
stand that  the  duties  of  hospitality  would  not  be 
extended  beyond  one  day;  and  that  I  would  -better 
seek  a  lodging  more  suitable  to  the  station  of  a  young 
man  of  quality.  He  would  be  glad  to  have  me  visit 
him  frequently ;  and  if  I  wanted  to  be  amused  Rupert, 
who  was  perfectly  familiar  with  all  the  ways  of  the  city, 
would  be  delighted  to  be  my  guide. 

I  did  not  see  the  lovely  Agnes  again  alone;  so  I 
made  up  my  mind  to  write,  and  tell  her  how  much  I 
thought  of  her.  I  question  now,  whether  any  of  the 
numerous  letters  I  sent  her  through  Rupert,  ever 
reached  her  hands. 

From  that  day,  there  was  no  end  to  amusements. 
Rupert  was  the  very  lad  to  make  me  acquainted  in 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  193 

the  shortest  time  with  all  the  resorts  of  entertainment, 
and  many  companions  of  questionable  reputation.  I 
was  introduced  to  a  Spanish  hidalgo;  a  Scotch  laird; 
a  Brazilian  planter;  a  Wallachian  boyar — that  their 
patents  of  nobility  grew  on  the  same  geneological  tree 
with  my  own  I  suspected  from  the  very  first.  They 
were,  individually  and  collectively,  hearty  drinkers, 
reckless  gamblers,  and  fearless  fighters.  That  the 
money  they  squandered  with  lavish  hand  was  not 
obtained  through  honest  means  I  was  confident,  and  I 
was  equally  confident  that  the  entire  crew  looked  on 
me  as  their  own  special  prey. 

But,  I  taught  them  a  thing  or  two  before  very  long! 

At  our  drinking-bouts,  I  always  left  them  under  the 
table.  While  with  the  Templars  I  learned  a  valuable 
secret :  how  to  drink  all  the  wine  you  wanted  without 
becoming  intoxicated.  I  shall  not  reveal  this  most 
valuable  secret  here.  I  have  an  idea,  that  when  the 
court  sentences  me,  I  may  win  its  clemency  by  reveal- 
ing what  I  learned  from  the  dornenritter — the  secret 
which  would  be  of  incalculable  value  to  all  mankind — 

"We  shall  see  about  it — if  the  time  ever  comes  when 
sentence  shall  be  passed  on  you !"  observed  the  chair. 

To  out-drink  me,  resumed  the  prisoner,  after  this 
digression,  was  impossible,  though  they  tried  their 
best  to  do  so.  Had  they  succeeded  in  stupefying  me 
with  wine,  I  am  quite  certain  they  would  have  robbed 
me  of  the  note  for  two-thousand  thalers,  which  I 
always  carried  with  me.  I  suspected  that  the  series  of 
drinking-bouts  had  been  arranged  to  enable  Rupert 
to  steal  the  note;  had  he  succeeded,  Master  Meyer 


194  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

would  have  been  relieved  of  paying  what  he  owed  me. 
But  my  secret  enabled  me  to  frustrate  their  plans. 

Nor  did  they  succeed  in  getting  hold  of  any  of  my 
doubloons.  The  first  time  we  engaged  in  a  game  of 
dice,  I  detected  their  scheme  to  cheat  me ;  the  dice  were 
loaded.  As  I  had  played  that  sort  of  game  before,  I 
astonished  and  discomfited  my  companions  by  the  fre- 
quency with  which  the  sixes  always  came  on  top  when 
I  threw.  They,  and  not  I,  lost  money.  If  they 
attempted  to  quarrel  with  me  about  my  good  fortune, 
they  found  that,  skilled  though  they  were  in  the  pugi- 
listic art,  I  could  take  care  of  myself.  I  learned  some 
wrestling  tricks  while  I  was  with  the  haidemaken,  and 
they  served  me  well  in  my  bouts  with  those  notorious 
fighting-cocks.  I  was  not  the  one  to  get  worsted.  But, 
no  matter  how  angry  I  might  be,  I  always  took  good 
care  not  to  injure  any  of  them  seriously;  had  I  clone 
so,  they  would  very  soon  have  had  me  behind  prison 
bars. 

I  was  also  extremely  careful  in  my  intercourse  with 
the  women  I  met.  My  white  dove  accompanied  me 
wherever  I  went,  but  I  never  spoke  of  her  to  anyone. 
I  would  tell  my  companions,  after  they  had  dragged 
me  from  one  den  to  another  -without  succeeding  in 
attaching  me  to  any  of  the  alluring  nymphs,  that  I  had 
no  eyes  for  any  woman  but  my  charming  betrothed,  to 
whom  I  had  vowed  eternal  fidelity;  and  that  I  was 
obliged  to  adhere  all  the  more  rigidly  to  my  vow, 
because  Rupert,  being  the  brother  of  my  sweetheart, 
might  betray  me  to  her  were  he  to  see  me  paying 
attention  to  another  girl. 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  195 

Then  the  student  would  swear  that  a  "whole  ditch 
full  of  devils"  might  fetch  him  (a  favorite  oath  in  Ham- 
berger  Berg  polite  society)  if  he  so  much  as  mentioned 
my  name  to  his  sister.  I  might  flirt  with  whomsoever 
I  chose,  he  would  not  betray  me.  But,  I  persisted  in 
turning  a  deaf  ear  to  the  fascinating  damsels  I  con- 
tinued to  meet  night  after  night  in  the  various  drinking 
shops  we  frequented.  I  knew  very  well  that  a  tidy 
wench  would  be  more  apt  to  get  hold  of  my  carefully 
guarded  note  of  hand  than  would  any  of  my  brawling 
comrades. 

I  wasn't  going  to  let  anyone  steal  it ;  I  had  decided 
that  I  would  take  the  money  home  to  my  poor  old 
parents.  The  two-thousand  thalers  would  make  of 
them  real  gentle  folk;  father  could  buy  a  little  fruit 
farm ;  and  a  fur  coat  for  himself ;  and  the  old  mother 
might  promenade  to  church  in  a  silk  mantle,  bought 
with  the  money  her  son  had  given  her — " 

"And  which  he  obtained  by  selling  stolen  church 
property,"  sarcastically  interjected  the  chair. 

"The  end  justified  the  means/'  quickly,  but  with  due 
respect,  retorted  the  prisoner,  whereupon  the  prince 
laughed  heartily. 

The  mayor's  face  became  crimson ;  he  said  in  a  tone 
of  reprimand:  "That  phrase  was  not  devised  by  the 
pious  Jesuits  to  excuse  the  man  who  steals  church 
property,  and  sells  it  to  obtain  money  for  his  family. 
The  prisoner  will  continue  his  confession." 

In  this  manner  I  passed  three  months.  The  day 
before  the  one  on  which  my  note  fell  due,  I  spent  in  my 
lodgings  sleeping  quietly.  That  night  I  accompanied 


196  TOLD,  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

my  friends,  as  usual,  on  a  round  of  the  different  tav- 
erns we  were  wont  to  frequent.  We  scattered  the  night 
patrol;  smeared  the  windows  of  several  professors' 
houses  with  wagon  grease;  sang  rollicking  ditties  in 
front  of  the  houses  in  which  we  knew  there  were  pretty 
.girls;  belabored  all  the  Jews  we  found  abroad  at  that 
hour,  and  kept  the  entire  "Berg"  in  a  state  of  excite- 
ment, until  long  after  midnight.  We  marched  arm  in 
arm,  forming  a  line  across  the  street  that  reached  from 
house  to  house,  to  the  "Three  Apples" — a  famous  tav- 
ern at  that  time — where,  for  a  wager,  we  drank  all  the 
liquid  medicines  in  the  store  of  an  itinerant  quack  doc- 
tor, who  had  stopped  there  for  the  night. 

It  is  just  possible  it  was  the  medicaments  that  con- 
fused my  brain — though  I  am  convinced  they  were 
perfectly  innocent  of  any  intoxicants.  Rupert  became 
so  helpless,  he  lay  like  £  log  on  the  tap-room  floor ;  the 
innkeeper  ordered  the  rest  of  us  out  of  the  house. 

As  it  was  too  early  to  go  home,  the  Scotchman  sug- 
gested that,  as  Rupert  was  not  with  us,  we  should  go 
around  to  Master  Meyer's,  where  he  and  the  rest  would 
keep  watch  in  the  street,  while  I  made  a  "window-call" 
on  my  betrothed. 

"That's  a  bright  idea  of  yours !"  I  exclaimed.  "How 
am  I  to  get  up  to  my  pretty  Agnes'  window?  Her 
room  is  in  the  top  story,  in  the  gable.  I  am  not  a  moo- 
calf  that  can  stretch  its  neck  to  the  luthern." 

"Why  are  we  your  friends?"  chivalrously  demanded 
the  Spanish  hidalgo.  "Are  not  we  here  to  help  you? 
We  will  form  a  pyramid :  three  of  us  will  support  two 
others  on  their  shoulders,  and  you  will  form  the  apex. 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  197 

You  can  then  rap  at  your  lady-love's  window,  and  we 
will  remain  immovable,  while  you  exchange  kisses  with 
her." 

The  quack's  medicaments  had,  as  I  said  before,  con- 
fused my  brain;  I  agreed  to  the  silly  plan  suggested 
by  the  hidalgo,  and  we  turned  our  unsteady  steps 
toward  the  Meyer  residence. 

When  we  arrived  in  front  of  the  house,  the  first  thing 
we  did  was  break  the  lantern  which  swung  from  a  rope 
stretched  across  the  street,  in  order  that  the  darkness 
might  screen  us  from  the  sight  of  passers-by. 

The  acrobatic  feat  of  building  a  human  pyramid  was 
easily  accomplished ;  and  I  was  very  soon  standing  on 
the  shoulders  of  two  comrades  whose  feet  in  turn  rested 
on  the  shoulders  of  the  three  forming  the  base. 

I  had  no  difficulty  in  reaching  to  the  sill  of  the  bow- 
window  ;  that  room,  I  knew,  opened  into  Agnes'  sleep- 
ing-chamber. I  had  rapped  once  on  the  glass — cau- 
tiously, for  I  did  not  want  to  rouse  any  one  in  the  lower 
rooms ;  and  was  about  to  repeat  the  knock,  when  the 
fiendish  bellowing  I  had  heard  once  before  made  the 
blood  run  cold  in  my  veins. 

My  comrades  under  me  cried  out  in  terror: 

"The  moo-calf  is  coming!" — and  the  next  instant  I 
was  hanging  by  my  fingers  to  the  sill  of  the  bow- 
window,  with  my  legs  wriggling  like  those  of  a  frog 
caught  on  a  hook.  I  could  hear  my  valiant  comrades 
scampering  for  their  lives  down  the  street.  I  did  not 
want  to  call  for  help ;  for,  if  old  Meyer  saw  me  dangling 
in  front  of  his  window,  he  would  believe  me  to  be  a 
burglar,  and  shoot  me  without  ceremony.  I  could  not 


198  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

swing  myself  up  to  the  window-sill,  for  the  sash  was 
closed ;  so,  I  hung  there,  and  tried  in  vain  to  find  a  pro- 
jection below  me,  on  which  to  rest  my  toes. 

Meanwhile,  the  bellowing  monster  came  nearer;  I 
could  already  hear  it  snorting  under  me.  I  hung 
motionless  as  an  executed  criminal  on  the  gallows, 
hoping  the  calf  might  not  notice  me. 

It  was  a  vain  hope !  The  brute  came  directly  toward 
me,  and  when  I  looked  down,  I  saw  the  hideous 
horned  head  stretch  upward — nearer,  nearer.  I  could 
feel  the  rough  tongue  lick  the  soles  of  my  shoes — then 
my  ankles.  I  drew  up  my  knees,  and  lifted  myself  as 
high  as  I  could;  but  the  elastic  neck  stretched  out 
longer — the  horrible  tongue  licked  higher.  I  felt  as  if 
my  trousers  were  being  brushed  with  a  curry-comb, 
and  I  thought  to  myself  every  moment :  "Now  the  devil 
will  seize  me!" 

I  wriggled  and  kicked  in  vain — nearer,  and  nearer, 
came  the  long  horns  which  threatened  to  spit  me  on 
their  sharp  points.  Fiendish  laughter  seemed  to  come 
from  the  red  throat,  as  the  tongue  licked  higher  and 
higher.  It  reached  my  thighs — then  my  waist,  and 
before  I  could  guess  what  might  happen,  the  little  bag 
hanging  from  my  belt,  in  which  I  carried  the  note  for 
two-thousand  thalers,  was  snapped  from  its  chain,  and 
disappeared  down  the  brute's  gullet. 

My  fear  vanished  with  the  note.  Not  even  Satan 
himself  should  take  it  without  a  struggle ! 

Heedless  of  the  moo-calf,  as  well  as  of  the  danger 
to  my  legs,  I  let  go  my  hold  on  the  window-sill  and 
dropped.  Fortunately  my  mantle  carried  me  like  a 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  199 

parachute  through  the  air,  so  that  I  was  not  even 
shaken  by  a  too  sudden  contact  with  the  pavement. 

I  now  stood  face  to  face  with  the  dreaded  moo-calf. 
It  was  not  a  creation  of  the  imagination,  but  a  veritable 
monster,  and  a  most  hideous  and  frightful  one  too,  at 
that !  It  had  four  huge  legs  and  feet  like  an  elephant ; 
a  neck  two  fathoms  long,  at  the  end  of  it  an  enormous 
head  with  horns ;  the  long  red  tongue  hanging  from  the 
open  jaws  was  covered  with  scales  shaped  like  saw 
teeth. 

"You  may  be  the  devil  himself/'  I  cried,  drawing 
my  sword,  and  stepping  up  to  the  monster,  "but  you 
must  give  me  back  my  purse." 

Quick  as  thought,  the  long  neck  was  drawn  in,  and 
the  head  thrust  at  me  with  a  force  that  sent  me  stag- 
gering backward  several  feet.  A  faint-hearted  man 
would  most  likely  have  taken  to  his  heels,  but  I  was  too 
enraged  at  my  loss  to  think  of  seeking  safety  in  flight. 

What !  had  I  purloined  the  dornenritter  treasures  for 
this? 

They  were  now  in  Master  Meyer's  possession,  and 
the  two-thousand  thalers  were  in  the  stomach  of  this 
moo-calf!  All  this  passed  like  lightning  through  my 
brain,  as  I  picked  myself  up  from  the  pavement,  where 
the  brute  had  flung  me,  and  again  approached  him. 

"Either  you  take  me  with  you  to  hell,"  I  exclaimed 
hoarsely,  "or  I'll  tear  my  purse  from  your  entrails !" 

Again  the  monster  drew  in  his  neck,  spread  his  legs 
apart  as  if  to  brace  himself,  and  gave  utterance  to 
another  marrow-freezing  roar.  I  remembered  the  dose 
of  pepper  I  had  received  from  him,  and  held  the  corner 


200  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

of  my  mantle  in  front  of  my  face ;  this  shielded  me  also 
from  the  sparks  of  fire  he  blew  from  his  nostrils. 

I  was  prepared  for  the  second  assault,  and  when  the 
brute  again  shot  out  his  head  toward  me,  I  dropped 
nimbly  to  the  pavement,  and  the  head  swept  over  me 
into  the  empty  air.  Before  it  could  be  drawn  back,  I 
was  on  my  feet,  and  buried  my  sword  to  the  hilt  in  the 
creature's  breast. 

What  was  my  surprise  and  horror  to  hear  a  despair- 
ing moan — not  from  the  moo-calf's  throat,  from  its 
belly — an  unmistakably  human  voice. 

"I  am  killed — murdered!"  cried  the  voice,  as  the 
moo-calf  fell  in  a  heap  to  the  pavement ;  and  from  the 
shapeless  leather  envelope  staggered  a  human  form — 
my  comrade,  Rupert,  the  student. 

The  blood  was  spurting  from  a  wound  in  his  breast — 
my  sword  had  pierced  clean  through  him ! 

"So,  you  are  the  moo-calf?"  I  exclaimed  in  amaze- 
ment, surveying  the  wounded  man  leaning,  gasping  for 
breath,  against  the  door  of  his  father's  house. 

"The  devil  take  you,"  he  groaned.  "Why  didn't  I 
kill  you  at  once,  when  you  were  hanging  from  the  win- 
dow, instead  of  fooling  with  you?  Now,  the  old  man 
may  play  the  moo-calf  himself,  and  scare  customers 
from  the  Jews'  quarter!  It's  all  up  with  me!  Ho, 
Agnes !  Mettze !  Come  quick !  Summon  the  patrol ! 
Sound  an  alarm !" 

I  saw  a  female  form  appear  in  the  bow-window.  It 
was  Agnes.  When  she  recognized  Rupert's  voice,  she 
began  to  shriek  "Murder !  murder !" 

I  turned  to  fly,  but  Rupert,  who  had  sunk  to  the 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  201 

pavement,  weak  from  the  loss  of  blood,  seized  hold  of 
my  leg — even  in  death  he  thought  only  of  revenge !  I 
jerked  my  leg  from  his  grasp  with  such  force,  that  he 
fell  backward,  striking  his  head  against  the  door-post. 

He  did  not  stir  again. 

I  did  not  stop  to  search  in  the  skin  of  the  moo-calf 
for  the  promissory  note;  I  took  only  time  enough  to 
catch  up  a  handful  of  mud  from  the  street,  and  fling  it 
into  the  face  of  the  girl,  who  was  leaning  from  the 
window  shriekingj-  "Murder !"  into  the  night. 

It  silenced  her  for  a  few  moments,  and  I  fled  down 
the  street  with  strides  that  soon  took  me  a  considerable 
distance  from  the  scene  of  the  tragedy. 

In  my  terror  I  imagined  that  a  multitude  was  pur- 
suing me,  crying :  "Catch  him  !"  "Hold  him !"  "There 
goes  the  assassin !" 

I  fled  through  unfamiliar  streets  and  by-ways,  across 
bridges,  to  the  outskirts  of  the  city.  There  I  saw,  in  an 
underground  den,  lights  and  moving  forms ;  and  heard 
dance-music  and  riotous  shouting.  I  tore  open  the 
entrance-door,  dashed  down  the  steps,  and  fell  into 
the  arms  of  an  overgrown  rascal,  who  was  clad  in  the 
uniform  of  the  Munster  guards.  The  fellow  locked  his 
arms  about  me,  and  said  laughingly: 

"You  are  welcome,  comrade  !  You  have  come  to  the 
proper  refuge.  You  must  have  been  close  pressed,  I 
declare !  You  are  puffing  like  a  porpoise !  But,  have 
no  further  fear — you  are  safe  now.  Come,  sit  and  have 
something  to  drink." 

He  pressed  a  goblet  of  wine  into  my  hand,  thrust  his 
arm  through  mine,  and  drank  smollis  with  me,  by 
exchanging  his  bear-skin  hat  for  my  cloth  barret-cap. 


202  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

"There,  my  son,  now  you  are  one  of  us.  You  have 
drank  our  wine,  and  are  now  under  the  command  of 
our  worthy  captain," 

I  had  stumbled  upon  a  body  of  recruits  for  a  par- 
tisan corps.  The  company  was  made  up  of  desperate 
characters,  who  were  glad  enough  of  this  chance  to 
escape  prison,  or  the  gallows. 

As  for  myself,  I  was  forced  to  put  a  good  face  on 
a  bad  business !  Only  twelve  hours,  before,  I  had  been 
a  distinguished  cavalier,  was  called  Junker  Hermann ; 
and  had  a  promissory  note  for  two-thousand  thalers  in 
my  pocket.  Now,  I  had  neither  station  nor  money,  and 
as  I  had  good  cause  for  not  wanting  to  keep  the  name 
by  which  I  was  known  in  Hamburg,  I  gave  the  recruit- 
ing sergeant  my  own  irue  patronymic. 

After  I  had  been  properly  registered,  I  asked  the 
sergeant : 

"What  is  the  name  of  our  captain?" 

"Meyer." 

"There  are  a  good  many  Meyers  in  the  world.  Is 
the  captain  related  to  the  Berg-Meyers?" 

"You've  guessed  it  the  first  time,  my  son !  The  cap- 
tain's father  lives  in  the  Hamberger  Berg,  and  is  a 
well-known  receiver  of  stolen  goods.  Rupert,  the  cap- 
tain's brother,  is  a  pander." 

I  dare  say  many  a  man  in  my  place  would  have  been 
frightened  at  this  discovery;  but  /  congratulated 
myself!  If  I  were  pursued — I  argued — the  officers  of 
justice  would  seek  for  me  everywhere  else  but  in  the 
company  commanded  by  the  brother  of  the  murdered 
man ;  and  if  Captain  Meyer  ever  discovered  that  it  was 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  203 

I  who  had  relieved  him  of  the  brother  with  whom  he 
would  have  been  obliged  to  share  his  inheritance,  he 
certainly  would  not  reproach  me  for  it! 

This,  honored  and  high-born  gentlemen,  added 
Hugo  in  conclusion,  is  the  true  history  of  the  homi- 
cide for  which  I  am  arraigned.  I  have  not  added  to,  or 
taken  from  it;  but  have  related  the  events  exactly  as 
they  occurred. 

"Que  bene  distinguit,  bene  docetT  observed  .  the 
prince  thoughtfully.  "We  call  it  murder,  when  the 
person  committing  the  deed  strikes  what  he  knows  to 
be  a  human  being.  But,  if  the  man  encounters  a  fero- 
cious monster  that  he  believes  to  be  a  moo-calf,  and 
kills  it  as  such,  and  it  turns  out  to  be  a  human  being, 
'murder'  is  certainly  not  the  term  to  apply  to  the  deed. 
Moreover,  the  person  who  is  so  devoid  of  sense  and 
dignity,  as  to  conceal  his  human  form  in  the  hide  of  an 
irrational  beast,  is  himself  responsible  for  whatever  may 
happen  to  him !  Therefore,  this  indictment  may  also 
be  stricken  from  the  register." 

"Perhaps,  your  highness,"  observed  the  chair  with 
a  covert  sneer,  "would  like  to  suggest  a  reward  for  the 
prisoner,  for  delivering  the  city  of  Hamburg  from  the 
terrorism  of  the  moo-calf?" 

The  prince's  reply  made  it  obvious  that  he  had  not 
noticed  the  chair's  sarcasm : 

"I-think-not,"  he  returned  slowly.  "As  the  prisoner 
is  likely  to  be  condemned  to  death  for  one  or  more 
of  the  other  crimes,  it  would  be  useless  to  bestow  on 
him  a  certainly  deserved  reward." 

A  further  hearing  was  postponed  until  the  next 
morning. 


PART   VI    . 


CHAPTER  I. 
THE  FORGERY.— ONE  CIPHER. 

I  passed  an  entire  year  under  the  command  of  Cap- 
tain Meyer,  during  which  time  I  may  say  I  committed 
no  more — nor  less,  evil  than  my  comrades.  I  do  not 
hold  it  necessary  to  mention  the  seven  mortal  sins,  of 
which  all  soldiers  are  guilty  when  in  the  enemy's  coun- 
try— those  sins  become  virtues  then. 

Were  I  to  enumerate  the  pillaging,  homicides,  con- 
flagrations, in  which  I  took  active  part,  it  would  be 
rather  a  captatis  benevolently  than  an  enforced  con- 
fession. This  much,  however,  I  will  confess:  The 
regions  visited  by  Captain  Meyer's  corps  never 
expressed  a  desire  for  our  return.  A  whole  year  of 
such  a  life  was  quite  enough  for  me;  and,  as  I  had 
enlisted  for  only  a  twelve-month,  at  the  expiration  of 
that  time  I  asked  for  my  discharge. 

The  captain  expressed  regret  at  my  wanting  to  leave 
him;  but  made  no  objection  when  I  gave  him  my 
reason  for  quitting  the  service;  I  was  home-sick,  and 
wanted  to  see  my  poor  old  mother  and  father.  The 
old  folks  lived  in  Andernach,  near  which  we  were 
(204) 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  205 

quartered.  I  had  not  seen  them  for  full  ten  years ;  and 
I  decided  that  I  would  spend  the  rest  of  my  days  with 
them. 

The  gold  and  silver  I  had  once  counted  on  taking 
to  them,  to  solace  their  old  age,  was  not  now  in  my 
possession :  Satan,  through  whose  aid  I  had  obtained 
it,  had  taken  it  away  from  me  again. 

But,  if  I  could  not  give  my  parents  curse-laden 
wealth,  I  was  able  to  offer  them  two  strong  and  willing 
arms  which,  after  so  many  years  of  sinful  struggling, 
longed  for  the  honest  toil  that  would  call  down  a  bless- 
ing from  heaven. 

I  would  adopt  my  father's  trade;  become  a  pious 
believer,  and  try  to  be  of  some  use  to  my  fellow- 
creatures. 

Before  I  could  do  this,  however,  I  should  be  obliged 
to  commit  a  forgery — as  the  world  would  call  it. 

The  burgomaster  o!  Andernach,  and  the  manager 
of  the  tannery  in  that  place,  were  so  very  scrupulous, 
that  they  wanted  to  know  all  about  my  antecedents, 
before  they  would  consent  to  receive  me  as  a  citizen, 
and  journeyman. 

Not  for  the  world  would  I  have  forged  an  entire  tes- 
timonial for  honesty,  and  respectability;  but  I  did  not 
think,  that  to  add  a  single  cipher  to  the  honorable  dis- 
charge I  had  received  from  Captain  Meyer  was  any- 
thing out  of  the  way.  A  tiny,  innocent,  worth-nothing, 
insignificent  cipher,  that  could  harm  no  one,  take 
nothing  from  anyone !  And  I  did  not  place  it  in  front 
of  the  figure  1  either — thus  giving  it  the  precedence 
over  the  more  valuable  numeral.  If  the  honorable  and 


206  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

high-born  gentlemen  will  but  look  at  it  from  a  differ- 
ent point  of  view  from  that  usually  taken,  I  feel  confi- 
dent they  will  not  think  my  transgression  so  heinous 
after  all.  Heaven  knows !  Ten  years'  service  under 
Captain  Meyer  contained  sufficient  torture  to  purge 
the  most  hardened  criminal,  and  make  him  fit  for  citi- 
zenship in  any  respectable  community ! 

This,  your  highness,  and  honorable  gentlemen,  is  the 
forgery  to  which  I  plead  guilty. 

"Humph !"  ejaculated  his  highness.  "It  is  not  worth 
mentioning!  Who  would  take  the  trouble  to  notice 
such  a  trifle?  Proceed  to  the  indictment  next  on  the 
list—" 

"On  which  there  is  still  another  crime  less !"  grum- 
bled the  chair  impatiently. 


CHAPTER  II. 
THE  LEGACY. 

Discharged  soldiers  travel  on  foot.  It  is  the  more 
expeditious  way  if  the  roads  are  bad,  for  a  wagon  is 
heavier  than  a  man.  The  man  has  only  two  feet  to 
draw  from  the  mud ;  while  the  wagon  has  four  wheels. 
Besides  to  travel  on  foot  is  cheaper. 

When  I  arrived  in  Andernach  I  had,  remaining  from 
the  money  I  had  saved  during  my  year's  campaigning, 
only  one  thaler ;  but  my  heart  was  so  light,  the  light- 
ness of  my  pocket  did  not  trouble  me. 

How  glad  I  was  when  I  caught  sight  of  the  familiar 
towers  of  the  palace,  and  the  ruins  on  the  Templeberg. 
How  often,  when  a  lad,  I  had  clambered  among  those 
ruins,  in  search  of  hawks'  nests,  and  Roman  coins.  If 
I  had  only  broken  my  neck  on  one  of  those  innocent 
quests.  Everything  was  so  familiar ;  the  large  mill- 
stone factory ;  the  cranes  on  the  quay ;  the  rafts  on  the 
river;  the  long  avenues — yes,  even  the  old  receivers  of 
customs  at  the  Coblentz  gate!  I  recognized  the  old 
fellows  at  once;  but  they  did  not  remember  me.  I 
might  stray  through  the  entire  town  without  hearing 
a  single  voice  call  to  me :  "Welcome,  welcome !  Why 
that  is  Hugo  !"  I  was  so  changed  in  appearance ! 

But  I  remembered  everybody  and  everything !  I  did 
not  need  to  ask  my  way  through  the  narrow  streets  to 

(207) 


208  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

the  tanneries  on  the  banks  of  the  river.  I  remembered 
the  names  of  all  the  families  that  lived  in  those  narrow 
streets. 

At  last  I  came  in  sight  of  the  house  in  which  dwelt 
my  parents — the  dear,  familiar  home  of  my  boyhood ! 
There  it  stood;  and  beside  it,  the  same  tall  mulberry 
tree  with  its  branches  shading  the  street. 

Perched  among  those  branches,  I  had  learned  to 
decline  the  classical  formula:  "Hie  gallus  cantans  in 
arbor e  sedens,  kukuriku  dicens!"  At  the  moment  of  my 
arrival,  however,  instead  of  a  gallus,  cantans  on  the 
tree,  an  auctioneer's  assistant  was  standing  under  it, 
and  vigorously  beating  a  cracked  drum. 

"What  is  going  on  here?"  I  asked  of  the  man,  in 
whom  I  recognized  an  acquaintance  of  my  boyhood. 

"There's  going  to  be  an  auction,  Master  Soldier." 

"What  is  to  be  sold?" 

"Everything  that  belonged  to  the  old  tanner.  You 
may  take  a  look  inside  if  you  like,"  he  added,  nodding 
toward  the  house.  "It  won't  cost  you  anything." 

"But  why  are  you  selling  the  old  man's  property?"  I 
asked  again. 

"To  get  money,  naturally!" 

"For  whom?" 

"For  the  numerous  Jebucees,  Sadducees,  and  publi- 
cans, to  whom  the  old  man  was  indebted.  If  they  sell 
everything — to  the  brood  of  sparrows  under  the  eaves ! 
— there  will  not  be  enough  money,  by  a  good  deal,  to 
pay  all  he  owes." 

"Why,"  said  I,  "the  old  man  was  a  good  manager; 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  209 

and  his  wife  an  industrious  and  thrifty  house-wife, 
when  I  knew  them." 

"And  so  they  were !  The  old  man  was  all  right,  until 
he  took  to  drinking." 

"Took  to  drinking?    Why  did  he  do  that?" 

"Well — you  see,  he  had  a  worthless  son,  who  ran 
away  from  home  about  ten  years  ago.  The  scamp 
joined  a  band  of  robbers ;  and  when  he  left  them,  he 
gave  out  that  he  was  a  Polish  count ;  played  all  man- 
ner of  tricks ;  broke  out  of  prison ;  robbed  churches. 
Every  year  the  news  which  came  to  the  old  man  about 
his  Hugo  grew  worse;  until  at  last  he  was  afraid  to 
venture  on  the  street,  for  the  whole  town  was  talking 
about  his  worthless  son.  So  he  took  to  drink — had  it 
fetched  to  the  house,  and  drank  harder  and  harder — 
especially  after  his  wife  died — " 

"Dead?"  I  interrupted.  "Is  the  old  dame  dead?" 
my  heart  almost  burst  because  I  had  to  keep  back  the 
words  "my  mother." 

"Yes,  Master  Soldier,  she  is  dead,  and  it  is  a  mercy 
the  good  old  soul  did  not  live  to  see  this  sorrowful 
day !  But,  you  must  excuse  me.  I  have  got  to  beat 
this  drum,  so  that  a  good  lot  of  people  will  come  to  the 
sale." 

A  dozen  or  more  purchasers  came  in  response  to 
the  summons.  I  took  up  my  station  by  the  open  win- 
dow, and  looked  into  the  familiar  room,  where  the 
buyers  were  higgling  over  the  various  articles  to  be 
sold.  My  mother's  Sunday  mantle  was  just  then  under 
the  hammer — the  pretty  silk  mantle  with  the  silver 
fastening  at  the  neck.  How  I  wished  I  were  able  to  put 


210  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

an  end  to  the  disgusting  higgling,  by  shouting  in  the 
window : 

"I'll  take  the  whole  lot  for  a  thousand  thalers !" 

But,  alas !  there  was  only  a  single,  miserable  thaler 
in  my  pocket. 

The  mantle  at  last  became  the  property  of  an  old- 
clothes  dealer:  he  flung  it  around  his  shoulders,  and 
made  believe  to  promenade  to  church.  It  was  a  revolt- 
ing sight !  The  entire  higgling  crew  laughed  uproar- 
iously, and  clapped  their  hands.  I  could  endure  it  no 
longer,  my  heart  was  bursting. 

I  stepped  back  to  the  drummer,  and  asked: 

"Is  it  long  since  the  old  dame  died?" 

"Not  so  long  but  you  may  find  her  grave  if  you  care 
to  see  it.  She  is  buried  in  the  cemetery  on  the  Temple- 
berg." 

"And  where  is  her  husband?" 

"Well" — and  he  scratched  his  ear — "that  is  a  ques- 
tion I  am  unable  to  answer :  what  was  immortal  about 
him,  is  in  heaven,  or  hell,  or  purgatory — who  can  say? 
Flesh,  bones  and  skin,  are  about  to  be  buried  in  the 
earth — just  where  though,  I  can't  tell  you." 

"Buried  now?"  I  repeated.  "Why,  there's  no  bell 
tolling  for  the  funeral?" 

"No,  Master  Soldier,  the  death  bell  doesn't  ring  for 
such  corpses.  The  poor  old  man  hung  himself — just 
here,  on  this  limb  above  us!" 

"Hung  himself?"  1  repeated  in  horror. 

"Yes,  Master  Soldier — he  hung  himself  on  that  limb ! 
You  see  he  couldn't  stand  it  when,  after  he  had  been 
told  that  his  property  would  have  to  be  sold  to  pay  his 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  211 

debts,  he  heard  that  the  burgomaster  had  received 
from  Hamburg  a  warrant  to  arrest  Hugo,  his  vagabond 
son,  who  had  murdered  a  comrade  of  his  in  that  city." 

You  may  imagine  my  feeling  when  I  heard  these 
words!  They  banished  from  my  mind  all  thought  of 
making  myself  known  as  the  long-lost  Hugo,  and  the 
determination  to  keep  my  identity  a  strict  secret  was 
strengthened  by  the  drummer  who,  at  every  beat  he 
inflicted  on  the  cracked  calf-skin,  exclaimed:  "The 
rascal !"  "The  vagabond !"  "The  gallows-bird !"  and 
similar  titles  of  honor ! 

I  deemed  it  wise  to  join  him  in  execrating  the  repro- 
bate, whose  evil  conduct  had  forced  the  honest  old 
tanner  to  end  his  life  on  the  green  branch  over  our 
heads. 

The  bloody  deed  I  had  committed  in  Hamburg  had 
driven  my  poor  father  to  a  suicide's  grave.  I  could 
listen  no  longer  to  the  monotonous  drum-beats,  and 
the  call  which  came  from  the  house:  "Who  bids 
higher?" 

I  stole  away  from  the  house  to  which  I  had  brought 
disgrace  and  death.  I  stole  away  to  that  city  of  the 
silent  multitude,  where  there  is  no  higgling,  no  out- 
bidding, no  "who  bids  higher?" 

Here,  the  wooden  cross  at  the  head  of  the  grass- 
grown  mound  of  earth,  serves  the  same  purpose,  and 
serves  it  as  well  as  the  majestic  marble  monument. 
After  a  long  search  among  many  familiar,  and  some 
unfamiliar  names,  I  found,  on  one  of  the  wooden 
crosses,  the  name  to  which  I  had  a  claim. 


212  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

Underneath  that  mound,  bare  of  green  sod,  with  no 
mourning  wreath  of  never-fading  flowers  adorning  the 
cross,  rested  the  woman  who  had  left  behind  her  on 
earth  nothing  but  a  drunken  husband,  who  drank  to 
forget  his  shame ;  and  a  worthless  son,  whose  name  was 
a  public  disgrace  in  every  city  in  the  land 

I  flung  myself  beside  the  mound.  I  dared  not  give 
vent  to  my  sorrow  in  moans  and  tears,  for  fear  a  grave- 
digger,  or  some  passer-by  might  hear  me,  and  suspect 
me  to  be  the  son  of  the  woman  in  the  grave. 

The  Hamburg  magistrates  had  offered  one  hundred 
thalers  for  my  arrest ;  consequently  it  behooved  me  to 
be  very  cautious.  I  pretended  I  had  chosen  that  spot 
to  rest ;  and  lay  very  still ;  for,  just  then,  a  good  many 
people — chattering  old  women,  noisy  lads,  and  all  sorts 
of  shabby  folk — were  passing  through  the  cemetery, 
toward  the  further  wall. 

The  crowd  seemed  to  be  expecting  something — an 
imposing  funeral,  I  said  to  myself.  I  soon  found  out 
why  they  were  so  eager  to  get  to  the  boundary  wall  of 
the  cemetery:  In  the  strip  of  earth  just  outside  the 
wall  was  the  suicide's  grave. 

He  is  not  to  rest  among  the  respectable  Christians ; 
but  in  the  strip  of  unconsecrated  ground  outside  the 
sacred  inclosure.  No  priest  leads  his  funeral  train ;  his 
body  comes  to  its  last  resting  place  in  the  knacker's 
cart,  on  a  bier  made  of  four  rough  deals.  The  coffin 
is  unpainted ;  there  is  no  name-plate  on  the  lid. 

The  bell  on  the  neck  of  the  knacker's  old  steed  tolls 
him  to  the  grave.  Instead  of  a  solemn  funeral  dirge, 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  213 

there  is  the  noisy  chatter  of  the  curious  mob;  and  in 
lieu  of  funeral  oration  are  the  knacker's  stupid  and 
offensive  jokes,  which  he  cracks  while  he  prepares  to 
lower  the  coffin  into  the  grave.  Before  he  does  this, 
he  takes  a  knife  from  his  pocket,  and  whittles  a  few 
chips  from  the  coffin;  and  over  these  the  gaping 
crowd — especially  the  old  women — quarrel  and  higgle, 
gladly  giving  their  last  pence  for  the  relics.  And  these 
people  never  suspect  that  the  man  who  leans  heavily 
against  the  broken  cross,  hard-by  the  new-made  grave, 
might  rush  suddenly  upon  them,  and  with  the  stump 
of  the  broken  cross  crack  the  skulls  of  those  whom  he 
chanced  to  strike ! 

At  last  the  knacker  took  note  of  me: 

"Well,  Master  Soldier,"  he  called,  "and  how  goes  it 
with  you?  Don't  you  want  to  exchange  a  few  pence 
for  a  chip  from  the  coffin  of  the  man  who  hung  him- 
self? There  is  great  virtue  in  such  a  bit  of  wood! 
It  will  preserve  you  from  lightning,  and — " 

"I  would  rather  have  a  nail  out  of  the  coffin,"  I 
interrupted,  "for  iron  will  attract  lightning,  which  is 
what  I  most  desire." 

The  fellow  was  ready  enough  to  comply  with  my 
request,  but  he  said  the  nail  would  be  worth  a  thaler. 
I  gave  him  the  thaler,  the  last  money  I  possessed  in 
the  world !  and  received  the  nail — my  legacy  from  my 
father! 

Later,  I  had  a  ring  made  of  the  coffin-nail,  and  I 
still  wear  it  on  the  fore-finger  of  my  right  hand. 

"Well,"  enunciated  his  highness,  drawing  his  hand- 


214  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

kerchief  from  his  pocket ;  "you  certainly  were  punished 
for  your  misdeeds,  my  son.  Your  sufferings  must  have 
been  greater  than  if  you  had  been  tortured  on  the 
wheel." 

The  chair's  comments  were  inaudible  amid  the 
sounds  of  emotion,  which  came  from  behind  the 
prince's  handkerchief. 


PART    VIL 


CHAPTER  I. 
PEACEFUL  REPOSE. 

I  was  now  without  a  heller  in  my  pocket;  and  yet 
I  did  not  feel  poor.  I  thought  to  myself:  I  am  a  man, 
born  this  day — nothing,  and  nobody.  I  am  so  much 
better  off  than  the  new-born  babe,  in  that  I  shall  not 
have  to  be  taught  how  to  walk  arid  talk,  need  no  one 
to  feed  me,  and  rock  me  to  sleep. 

I  determined  I  would  not  remain  longer  on  German 
soil.  If  I  remained,  only  one  of  two  alternatives  was  left 
to  me :  If  I  desired  to  associate  with  respectable  folk, 
I  should  have  to  allow  them,  when  they  discovered  who 
I  was,  to  cut  off  my  head ;  and  if  I  went  back  to  my  old 
life,  or  into  the  army,  I  should  have  to  cut  off  the 
heads  of  my  fellow-creatures.  I  had  no  desire  to  do 
either. 

After  my  varied,  and  troublous  experiences,  I 
yearned  for  peace  and  quiet.  My  plans  were  soon 
formed.  There  was  considerable  trade  in  lumber, 
between  Andernach  and  Holland.  Innumerable  rafts, 
composed  of  huge  tree-trunks  for  masts,  and  piles  for 

(215) 


216  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

dams,  were  floated  down  the  Rhine ;  and  to  the  owner 
of  one  of  these  rafts  I  hired  myself  as  rower. 

The  wage  was  fair :  thirty  pfenings  a  day,  with  bread, 
cheese,  dried  fish,  and  a  jug  of  beer.  I  never  drank 
my  portion  of  beer,  but  sold  it  for  three  pfenings;  to 
one  of  my  comrades  on  the  raft,  who  got  thirsty  twice 
daily.  I  drank  only  water. 

When  my  fellow  rowers  would  curse  and  swear, 
because  a  strong  wind,  or  the  current,  drove  the  raft 
against  the  rocks,  I  would  remonstrate  mildly  with 
them ;  and  assure  them  that  such  speech  in  the  mouths 
of  Christian  men  was  displeasing  to  God;  and  when, 
to  pass  the  time,  they  would  sit  down  to  a  game  of 
dice,  I  would  withdraw  to  the  further  end  of  the  raft. 
If  they  urged  me  to  join  the  game,  I  would  reply: 

"Thou  shalt  not  covet  what  belongs  to  thy 
neighbor." 

After  awhile  the  jeers  of  my  comrades  attracted  the 
attention  of  the  owner  of  the  raft. 

"Hello,  lad;  what's  the  matter  with  you?  You  don't 
drink,  don't  gamble,  and  don't  swear— you  are  damn- 
ably pious,  it  seems  to  me!  But,  you  are  a  first-rate 
worker;  and  I  shall  sell  you  in  Nimeguen  for  at  least 
three  times  as  much  as  any  of  those  lazy  louts." 

"You  are  going  to  sell  me  and  my  comrades  in 
Nimeguen?"  I  exclaimed  in  amazement. 

''Why,  certainly!  What  the  devil  else  should  I  do 
with  you?  You  can  float  down  stream  on  the  raft ;  but 
I  couldn't  float  you  up-stream ! — and  I  couldn't  carry 
you  on  my  back,  could  I?  But,  don't  you  worry.  I'll 
find  good  places  for  the  lot  of  you.  There  will  be 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  217 

plenty  of  buyers  for  the  rowers,  as  well  as  for  the  raft, 
and  the  price  every  fellow  brings  will  be  equally 
divided  between  me  and  himself !" 

"What  becomes  of  the  men — usually?"  I  ventured  to 
inquire. 

"Well,  I  don't  believe  all  are  chopped  into  sausage- 
meat  !  The  Hollander  likes  to  be  a  sailor — but  only  a 
captain,  or  a  pilot.  He  likes  also  to  be  a  soldier,  but 
again  he  prefers  to  be  a  captain,  or  the  commandant  of 
a  fortress.  Therefore,  common  seamen  and  private 
soldiers  are  in  demand;  and  for  this  the  ignorant 
stranger  is  good.  Consequently,  you  need  only  say 
which  you  prefer:  to  become  a  sailor,  or  a  land-lubber 
— and  take  your  choice." 

I  deliberated  a  moment,  then  I  said  to  him : 

"I  will  tell  you  the  truth,  Captain,  because  I  have 
vowed  never  again  to  let  a  lie  pass  my  lips.  I  am 
tired  of  soldiering.  I  have  shed  so  much  blood  on 
the  battlefield,  that  the  remembrance  of  it  oppresses  my 
soul.  I  don't  want  to  be  a  soldier ;  I  would  rather  go 
to  sea,  and  be  rocked  by  the  waves." 

"Well,  you  are  an  ignorant  dunce !"  he  exclaimed. 
"Don't  you  know  that,  if  you  go  to  sea,  you  will  get 
right  into  the  thick  of  battle?  The  Dutch  fight  all  their 
real  battles  at  sea.  They  keep  an  army  on  shore,  only 
that  they  may  have  troops  to  capitulate  when  a  fortress 
is  starved  out  by  the  enemy!  The  soldiers  never  get 
any  actual  fighting.  Punctuality,  sobriety,  irreproach- 
able conduct — these  are  the  Dutch  soldier's  strong 
points — and,  the  devil  fly  away  with  me,  if  you  don't 


218  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

rise  to  be  a  corporal  in  less  than  a  twelve-month,  if  you 
join  the  army!  What  were  you  before?" 

"A  gunner." 

"Well,  you  can  be  a  gunner  in  the  Dutch  army." 

"But,  what  have  the  gunners  in  the  Dutch  artillery  to 
do  if  there  is  no  enemy  to  shoot  at?"  I  asked. 

"Oh,  they  find  enough  to  occupy  their  time.  On 
Saturday  evenings  they  have  the  management  of  the 
fire-works,  which  are  set  off  in  the  park;  and  on  the 
other  days  of  the  week  they  prepare  the  rockets,  and 
other  things,  for  the  Saturday  evening's  display." 

That  is  why  I  became  a  gunner  in  the  artillery,  in 
the  goodly  city  of  Nimeguen.  Sixty  dollars  was  the 
price  paid  for  me,  the  half  of  which  I  received. 

I  was  now  in  a  community  that  exactly  suited  me. 
Here  was  no  mighty  uproar,  no  rioting,  no  drinking. 
Here,  no  vain  braggart  youths  molested  the  wives  of 
the  staid  burghers.  Here  were  no  conflicts  between  the 
military  and  the  citizens.  All  were  at  peace  with  one 
another. 

On  Sunday  mornings  the  armed,  and  the  unarmed 
residents  went  together  to  church ;  and  in  the  evening 
all  drank  their  pints  together  amicably  in  the  beer- 
houses. The  soldiers  were  allowed,  when  not  on  guard 
duty,  or  otherwise  engaged  in  the  fortress,  to  work  for 
the  citizens ;  the  money  thus  earned  belonged  to  them- 
selves. And  there  were  many  chances  to  secure 
employment.  The  entire  city  of  Nimeguen  was  a  huge 
flower-garden,  in  which  was  grown  that  most  import- 
ant article  of  commerce :  the  tulip  bulb. 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  219 

It  is  a  well-known  fact  that  not  only  entire  Europe 
but  all  the  lands  under  the  dominion  of  the  Turkish 
sultan,  would  suffer  a  greater  financial  loss,  were  the 
Dutch  tulip-bulbs  to  remain  out  6f  the  markets  for  a 
year,  than  if  all  other  crops  were  to  fail  for  the  same 
length  of  time. 

By  saying  this,  I  do  not  mean  that  the  'carnation  is 
not  also  a  necessary  luxury — if  I  may  so  term  it;  but 
the  tulip  is,  and  will  remain,  the  most  important  article 
of  commerce  in  the  lands  I  have  mentioned.  One 
tulip-bulb  is  worth  as  much  as  a  peck  of  wheat.  But 
it  is  of  different  values — according  to  the  color.  There 
are  tulips  which  only  kings  and  sultans  can  afford  to 
have  bloom  in  their  gardens. 

I  was  fortunate  enough  to  secure  employment  for 
my  leisure  hours,  as  gardener's  assistant,  on  the  estate 
of  a  widow  who  was  "tulip-wealthy." 

The  lady  would  visit  her  tulip  beds  early  every  morn- 
ing, to  see  them  in  bud ;  and  again  late  in  the  afternoon, 
to  see  the  full-blown  flowers.  At  such  times  I  never 
got  a  glimpse  of  her  face ;  for  she  always  wore  a  huge 
cap,  from  which  only  the  tip  of  her  nose  protruded. 

But  I  decided,  after  I  had  been  on  the  estate  a  week, 
that  the  fair  owner  must  be  young,  for  when  she 
addressed  a  remark  to  me,  which  she  did  occasionally, 
her  voice  was  so  low — as  if  she  feared  I  might  hear 
what  she  said. 

To  judge  by  the  enormous  quantities  of  bulbs  she 
sent  to  market,  the  widow  must  have  been  very  rich ; 
but  the  bulbs  were  not  her  only  treasures.  She  possessed 


220  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

a  collection  of  shells,  fresh,  and  salt-water,  that  repre- 
sented a  very  tidy  sum  of  money. 

In  Holland,  as  well  as  in  England,  and  France,  the 
shell  had  also  a  commercial  value ;  and  wealthy  collec- 
tors vied  with  one  another  to  secure  the  finest  examples 
of  the  spordihis  regiits;  the  "sun-ray"  mussel ;  the  rain- 
bow-hued  "venus-ear" ;  the  "queen's  cap" ;  the  "tower 
of  Babylon" ;  and  "Pharaoh's  turban,"  and  would  pay 
as  high  as  two  hundred  dollars  for  a  perfect  specimen 
of  the  shell  they  wanted.  I  have  known  a  perfect 
scalaria  preciosa  to  bring  one  hundred  zequins.  This 
shell  is  more  valuable  than  the  pearl;  and  my  fair 
employer  possessed  a  whole  drawerful  of  them.  Her 
sainted  husband  had  collected  them;  and  they  would 
have  sold  for  more  than  would  a  three-master  loaded 
with  grain. 

More  than  one  nabob  had  offered  fabulous  sums  for 
the  collection ;  and  it  was  said  that  a  British  peer,  who 
was  devoted  to  the  study  of  conchology,  had  even  gone 
so  far  as  to  offer  his  hand  and  title  to  the  widow,  in 
order  to  gain  possession  of  the  much  coveted  treasure. 

The  widow  who  hesitates  loses  a  title ;  while  the  lady 
was  considering  the  peer's  offer,  there  was  a  sudden 
fall  in  the  price  of  shells,  and  my  lord  sailed  away  to 
England. 

What  caused  this  depression  in  the  shell-market  you 
ask? 

Well,  as  your  highness,  and  the  honorable  gentle- 
men, must  know,  every  sea-creature  like  the  scalaria 
builds  its  house  with  the  volutions  turning  to  the  left. 

One  day  a  sailor,  whose  home  was  in  Nimeguen, 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  221 

returned  from  a  voyage  to  Sumatra,  and  brought  with 
him  a  large  number  of  scalaria  with,  the  shells  turned 
in  just  the  opposite  direction — from  left  to  right.  Now, 
a  shell  of  this  order  was  a  decided  lusus  nature?,  and 
the  price  for  the  ordinary  pattern  at  once  depreciated. 
The  bankers  and  nabobs,  who  had  formerly  vied  with 
one  another  in  their  quest  for  the  scalaria  preciosa, 
were  now  so  inflamed  with  the  desire  to  possess  a 
scalaria  retrotorsa,  that  they  willingly  paid  from  two  to 
three  thousand  thalers  for  a  single  specimen.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  ordinary  scalaria,  which  had  sold  read- 
ily for  one  hundred  ducats,  could  now  be  bought  for 
ten,  and  fifteen  thalers. 

This  was  a  heavy  blow  for  my  widowed  employer, 
and  she  soon  found  that  she  had  not  the  strength  to 
bear  it  alone. 

When  I  heard  of  her  loss,  I  summoned  enough 
courage  to  say  to  her: 

"If  this  unlucky  business  about  the  shells  is  all  that 
troubles  you,  my  dear  lady,  I  think  I  can  help  you.  I 
have  a  scheme  that  will  in  a  very  short  time  produce 
shells  which  turn  to  the  right — and  in  such  quantities, 
that  you  can  supply  all  the  shell-markets  in  the 
country/ 

The  widow  reflected  several  moments,  then  replied : 

"But,  I  couldn't  think  of  allowing  you  to  employ 
witch-craft  to  secure  such  shells  for  me.  I  do  not 
approve  of  magic.  I  have  always  held  aloof  from 
sorcery,  charms,  conjuring,  and  all  such  infernal  prac- 
tices ;  and,  as  I  hope  some  time  to  be  united  with  my 
beloved  husband,  who  is  with  the  saints,  I  could  not 


222  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

bind  my  soul  to  the  wicked  one,  by  countenancing  any 
sort  of  magic,  or  idolatry." 

"There  is  neither  magic  nor  idolatry  connected  with 
my  scheme  to  benefit  you,  gracious  lady,"  I  assured 
her.  "What  I  have  in  mind  is  a  purely  scientific 
experiment.  It  is  fully  described  in  a  large  book  writ- 
ten by  the  learned  Professor  Wagner,  who  was  a  very 
pious  man,  as  well  as  a  very  clever  scholar." 

"The  book  I  allude  to,  gracious  lady,  treats  of  the 
sympathy  and  antipathy  of  plants,  and  cold-blooded 
animals ;  and  is  all  about  creatures  made  by  our  Heav- 
enly Father.  It  is  a  noteworthy  fact,  that  the  bean 
vine  always  twines  from  left  to  right  around  the  stake 
which  supports  it;  while  the  hop  as  invariably  winds 
from  right  to  left — neither  of  them  ever  makes  a  mis- 
take. If,  however,  the  bean  and  the  hop  be  planted 
close  together,  then,  the  two  plants  being  antipathetic 
one  to  the  other,  the  bean  will  twine  to  the  left,  and  the 
hop  to  the  right." 

"Quid  fuit  probation." 

"From  such  experiments  the  learned  orofessor  was 
led  to  experiment  with  living  creatures.  He  found 
that,  when  an  acaleph  which  forms  its  shell  from  right 
to  left  in  the  flower-beds  at  the  bottom  of  the  ocean, 
chances  to  lie  in  close  proximity  to  a  nautilus  pompi- 
liuSy  which  belongs  to  the  cephalopods,  and  builds  from 
left  to  right,  the  two,  because  of  their  antipathy  for 
each  other,  will  reverse  the  order  of  their  volutions." 

"From  this  it  is  clear  that  those  conchologists,  who 
have  created  a  veritable  social  revolution  with  their 
Malaria  retrotorsa,  and  have  shaken  the  foundations  of 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  223 

prosperity  in  the  Dutch  low  countries,  have  accident- 
ally come  upon  such  shells  which,  in  consequence  of 
an  antipathetic  propinquity,  have  reversed  their  order 
of  building — and  by  so.  doing,  my  dear  lady,  have 
caused  you  great  loss  and  sorrow.  But,  you  need 
sorrow  no  longer,  if  you  will  graciously  assent  to  my 
proposition.  It  will,  I  feel  confident,  bring  you  a  for- 
tune so  enormous  that  even  the  queen  regent  will  envy 
you !" 

"But,  what  is  your  proposition?"  queried  the  pious 
soul,  and  for  the  first  time,  half  of  her  face  emerged 
from  the  depths  of  her  cap. 

"It  is  this,  gracious  lady:  Order  your  agents  to 
bring  from  the  ocean  living  scalaria,  and  nautili,  which 
are  to  be  secured  with  least  trouble  during  the  mating 
season.  We  will  prepare  for  them  here  a  large  basin 
of  sea-water,  with  sand  from  the  bottom  of  the  ocean. 
In  this  we  will  plant  sea-weeds,  place  our  living  shells 
among  them,  and  feed  them  with  star-fish,  holothurcs, 
and  other  soft-bodied  marine  creatures.  After  a  season 
our  shell-fish  will  spawn ;  the  eggs  of  the  scalaria  cling 
together — like  a  string  of  pearls;  those  of  the  nautili 
adhere  to  one  another  by  sixes,  in  shape  of  a  star. 

"When  we  shall  have  secured  a  number  of  broods, we 
will  fasten  together  the  ends  of  a  scalaria  string,  form- 
ing a  circle,  in  the  center  of  which  we  will  place  a  star 
of  nautilus  spawn;  and  you  will  see,  when  the  tiny 
creatures  escape  from  the  eggs,  that  they  will  build 
their  houses  in  a  reversed  order  from  the  parent  shell." 

My  plan  was  quite  clear  to  the  fair  widow ;  she  gave 
her  orders  at  once  to  her  agents,  for  the  scalaria,  and 


224  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

nautili,  and  from  that  moment  treated  me  with  great 
respect  and  affability. 

Meanwhile,  I  continued  to  perform  my  duties:  I 
polished  my  guns  mornings;  inspected  the  soldiers' 
coats,  to  see  if  any  of  the  buttons  had  been  sewed  on 
wrong  side  up — the  lower  part  of  the  state's  coat  of 
arms  uppermost — and  reported  to  the  captain  that 
everything  was  in  order.  Saturday  evenings  I  attended 
to  setting  off  the  fire-works ;  and  every  week-day  after- 
noon I  worked  in  the  widow's  garden. 

What  I  earned  I  laid  by.  I  never  touched  pipe,  nor 
glass — not  even  when  they  were  offered  to  me ;  and  to 
whomsoever  I  addressed  a  remark,  I  gave  the  title 
belonging  to  him.  Thus,  I  gained  the  respect  of  all 
my  fellow-citizens.  I  had  become  what  I  had  long 
desired :  a  respectable  God-fearing  man — " 

"Now,  look  out  for  a  special  bit  of  rascality;"  sotto 
voce,  interjected  the  chair. 

I  admit  it  was  to  win  promotion  that  I  conducted 
myself  with  such  propriety,  continued  the  prisoner. 
I  was  extremely  desirous  of  attaining  a  lieutenancy. 

When  the  living  scalaria,  and  nautili,  arrived 
together  with  the  creatures  which  were  to  serve  as  food 
for  them,  they  were  placed  in  the  large  basin  with  a 
wall  about  it,  I  had  prepared  for  them  in  the  lower 
portion  of  the  tr.lip  garden ;  and  in  due  time  the  spawn 
was  ready  for  further  operation. 

My  gracious  employer  was  greatly  surprised  to  learn 
that  the  eggs  of  the  shell-fish  have  a  peculiarity  which 
distinguishes  them  from  the  eggs  of  birds  and  insects. 
With  the  development  of  the  embryonic  fish,  its  envel- 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  225 

ope  also  extends ;  one  such  egg,  which  at  first  is  hardly 
as  large  as  a  lentil,  increases  to  the  size  of  a  hazel-nut. 
In  this  condition  its  outer  covering  is  very  thin — 
merely  a  transparent  membrane,  through  which  the 
now  quickened  animal  may  be  seen  revolving  with  the 
celerity  of  a  spinning  top.  One  may  even  detect  the 
pulsations  of  its  heart. 

'The  fellow  has  actually  taken  it  upon  himself  to 
deliver  a  lecture  on  malacology!"  irritably  interposed 
the  chair.  "I  am  sorry  to  prolong  the  hearing,  your 
honor,"  deferentially  returned  the  prisoner,  "but,  I  beg 
-you  will  allow  me  to  finish  what  I  have  to  say  on  this 
subject,  in  order  that  I  may  explain  why  I  was  accused 
of  conjuring.  I  desire  to  prove  that  what  I  did  was  not 
accomplished  by  aid  of  any  infernal  power ;  but  through 
my  own  intelligence,  in  discovering,  and  making  use 
of  one  of  Nature's  secrets." 

As  I  mentioned  before,  one  may  perceive,  in  the 
embryonic  mollusk,  the  incessant  rotary  movement 
from  left  to  right.  In  order  to  keep  the  two  anti- 
pathetic broods  constantly  in  the  close  juxtaposition 
necessary  to  influence  their  development,  I  was  obliged 
to  handle  them  frequently,  as  the  eggs  would  move 
about — 

"Stop !"  interrupted  the  chair,  "mollusks  have  no 
eyes;  how  then  were  those  you  hatched  able  to  see 
their  antipathetic  neighbors,  and  move  away  from 
them?" 

Their  antipathetic  sensations  informed  them. 
Though  mollusks  have  no  eyes,  they  are  endowed  with 
other  remarkable  organs — such  as  are  not  found  in 


226  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

warm-blooded  animals.  However,  to  cut  my  story 
short,  the  quickened  scalaria,  and  nautili,  immediately 
began  to  form  their  shells  in  the  reversed  order  I  had 
expected,  and  the  secret  of  fabulous  enrichment  was 
solved. 

During  the  mysterious  process  of  nature — while  the 
shell-fish  were  industriously  rearing  their  priceless 
houses — my  patroness  daily  spent  a  half  hour  or  more 
beside  the  sea-water  basin ;  and  would  even,  now  and 
then,  assist  me  to  restore  the  creatures  to  their  proper 
positions. 

At  first  she  would  push  her  sleeves  only  an  inch  or 
two  above  the  wrists;  but,  after  awhile,  they  were 
tucked  above  the  elbows,  and  I  could  admire  as  much 
as  I  wanted  the  beautiful  white  arms — a  favor  no 
modest  woman  will  allow  anyone  but  her  own  husband. 

As  the  work  had  to  be  done,  and  as  we  did  not  want 
a  third  party  to  have  cognizance  of  our  experiment,  the 
fair  widow  was  obliged  to  assist  me,  and  the  natural 
result  of  the  bared  arms  was:  I  became  her  legal 
husband.  Therefore,  it  was  neither  through  magic,  nor 
witch-craft,  nor  yet  through  seductive  arts  employed 
by  myself,  that  I  became  the  legal  protector  of  the 
richest,  and  handsomest  young  widow  in  Nimeguen. 

("The  truth  of  the  matter  is:  the  modest  Dutch 
widow  bewitched  the  valiant  gunner,  and  compelled 
him  to  marry  her!"  was  the  chair's  sarcastic  interpo- 
lation.) 

Well,  be  that  as  it  may,  the  lady  was  amply 
rewarded  for  marrying  me.  The  scalaria  retrotorsa 
resulting  from  my  experiment,  brought  her  enormous 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  227 

wealth.  We  did  not  know,  at  last,  what  to  do  with  all 
the  money  that  kept  pouring  into  our  coffers ;  but,  the 
larger  portion  of  her  reward  by  far,  she  found  in  the 
conjugal  fidelity  I  vowed  to  her.  I  would  not  have 
believed  that  I  possessed  so  many  of  the  attributes 
necessary  to  the  making  of  a  pattern  husband,  and  my 
wife  would  have  been  entirely  satisfied  with  me,  had  I 
been  a  captain  like  her  first  spouse. 

But  I  was  only  a  gunner! 

My  predecessor  had  been  a  captain,  it  is  true,  but  he 
had  never  seen  a  battle ;  and  when,  on  Corpus  Christi, 
he  commanded  the  city  militia,  and  gave  orders  to  fire 
the  salute,  he  always  pressed  his  hands  against  his  ears 
to  shut  out  the  noise. 

Still,  his  title  gave  his  wife  the  right  to  call  herself 
"Fraq,  H^uptmannin ;"  while,  as  my  wife  she  was 
merely  "Constablerinn" — a  degradation  intolerable  to 
any  proud-spirited  woman. 

I  tried  to  purchase  at  least  a  lieutenant's  comrmV 
sion ;  but  there  were  fifty-six  applicants  for  the  position 
ahead  of  me ;  and  there  was  no  telling  how  many  years 
I  should  have  to  wait  for  my  turn. 

My  wife  at  last  became  so  sensitive  that,  in  order 
to  escape  being  addressed  by  the  inferior  title,  she 
ceased  to  go  out  of  the  house;  and  when  she  had 
occasion  to  make  mention  of  me  to  any  one,  she  always 
spoke,  or  wrote,  in  this  wise:  "The  husband  of  the 
widow  of  Captain  Tobias  van  der  Bullen."  That  hon- 
orable and  high-born  gentlemen,  is  how  I  came  to  be 
called — through  no  fault  of  mine ! — by  my  twelfth 
false  name:  "Tobias  van  der  Bullen," 


228  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

I  must  confess,  it  was  an  extremely  dull  life.  Of 
what  use  to  us  were  the  hoards  of  gold  in  the  treasure- 
chests?  We  did  not  know  how  to  spend  them.  I  did 
not  drink  wine ;  I  was  not  allowed  to  smoke  at  home, 
because  it  was  an  unclean  habit.  And  I  was  always  at 
home,  when  not  at  the  barracks,,  because  I  had  nowhere 
else  to  go. 

At  the  merchants'  casino,  of  which  I  might  have 
become  a  member  had  I  so  elected,  all  the  conversation 
was  about  matters  I  could  not  endure.  The  men  were 
so  grave  and  sedate,  there  was  no  fun  in  trying  to  play 
tricks  on  them ;  and  the  women  were  virtuous  to  such  a 
degree,  that  not  one  of  them  would  have  allowed  a 
barn-yard  cock  to  scratch  worms  for  more  than  one 
hen. 

As  all  married  men  know,  women  are  peculiar  crea- 
tures. There  are  times  when  they  become  impressed 
with  a  desire  to  possess  certain  things  that — so  say  the 
sagacious  doctors — it  is  unwise,  nay  dangerous,  to 
refuse  to  gratify  the  request.  I  have  heard  said, 
that  a  woman  has  been  known  to  long  for  a  dish  of 
shoemaker's  paste ;  another  believed  she  would  collapse 
if  she  did  not  get  a  frog  to  devour ;  still  another,  vowed 
she  could  not  survive,  if  her  husband  did  not  rise  from 
his  bed  at  midnight,  and  hasten  to  the  nearest  grocery 
for  a  box  of  superfine  wagon  grease ! 

Now,  my  wife  was  seized  with  a  longing  to  possess 
a  sheet  of  parchment — a  desire,  you  will  say,  that  might 
easily  have  been  gratified.  But,  the  sort  of  parchment 
she  wanted  did  not  grow  on  every  bush  !  A  document, 
engrossed  with  the  words  which  certified  that  her  hus- 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  229 

band  was  a  captain,  was  what  she  craved.  But,  where 
was  I  to  procure  it? 

Chance  one  day  brought  me  face  to  face  with  an  old 
acquaintance,  Mynheer  Ruissen.  He  recognized  me 
at  once.  It  would  have  been  useless  to  deny  my  iden- 
tity ;  moreover,  there  had  been  established  between  us 
a  certain  good-fellowship  that  justified  me  in  believing 
I  might  safely  take  him  into  my  confidence. 

He  told  me  how  zealously  the  officers  of  the  law  were 
searching  throughout  Germany  for  the  fugitive,  who 
had  substituted  tin  church-vessels  for  the  gold  and 
silver  ones  used  in  the  Templars'  castle ;  and  for  having 
caused  the  wonderful  metamorphosis  of  the  Hamburg 
moo-calf. 

("Fine  phrases  for  robbery,  and  assassination  I" 
commented  the  chair). 

It  was  fortunate  for  me  that  I  was  known  in  Hol- 
land only  under  the  name  of  my  wife's  deceased 
husband;  had  the  worthy  Dutchmen  known  who  I 
was,  the  German  authorities  would  not  have  remained 
long  in  ignorance  as  to  the  whereabouts  of  the  fugitive 
criminal  they  were  seeking. 

I  confided  to  Mynheer  Ruissen  my  desire  to  obtain 
the  title  of  captain  in  order  to  prevent  my  wife  from 
grieving  herself  to  death. 

"Well,  my  son/'  he  observed  after  a  moment's  delib- 
eration, "it  isn't  such  an  easy  matter  to  get  to  be  a 
captain — on  shore.  There  is  no  war  now.  These  Hol- 
landers prefer  to  look  on  fighting  at  a  distance.  If  you 
want  to  become  a  captain,  come  with  me  to  sea.  I  am 


230  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

on  my  way  to  East  India,  with  small  arms  and  cannons 
for  the  nabob  Nujuf  Khan,  of  Bengal.  There's  a  gen- 
eral in"  his  army,  who  is  a  countryman  of  yours — a 
Reinhard  Walter.  He  was  an  adventurer  like  your- 
self when  he  went  to  India;  and  now  he  is  a  distin- 
guished man.  He  changed  his  name  to  'Sommer/  and 
the  natives  out  yonder  call  him  'Sumro/  He  is  in  need 
of  soldiers,  especially  skilled  gunners.  If  you  will  come 
with  me — who  can  tell? — you  may  become  not  only  a 
captain,  but  a  prince  within  a  twelve-month." 

The  tales  Mynheer  Ruissen  related  of  General  Som- 
mer's  success  in  Bengal  were  so  marvelous,  they 
inflamed  me  with  the  desire  to  try  my  fortune  in  that 
distant  land;  besides,  the  wearisome  dullness  of  my 
monotonous  existence  in  Nimeguen  was  driving  me  to 
madness.  I  decided  to  accompany  the  Mynheer,  whom 
I  introduced  to  my  wife.  She  was  almost  beside  herself 
with  delight,  when  he  told  her  he  knew  of  a  land  in 
which  there  grew  a  tree,  called  the  banyan,  with  a 
thousand  branches,  every  one  bearing  a  hundred  figs, 
in  every  one  of  which  might  be  found  a  captain's  com- 
mission. And  these  wonderful  figs  might  be  had  for 
the  plucking,  by  any  one  who  would  take  the  trouble  to 
journey  to  that  distant  land. 

"You  must  start  at  once,  my  dear/'  said  my  wife  in 
urgent  tones — as  if  she  feared  there  might  not  be  any 
of  the  figs  left  for  me,  if  I  delayed  going  immediately. 
"At  once !  You  must  on  no  account  miss  the  ship !" 

With  her  own  hands  she  packed  everything  I  should 
need  for  the  journey — not  forgetting  soap  and  tooth- 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  231 

brushes!  And  she  did  not  weep  at  parting  with  me. 
You  see,  the  women  of  Holland  become  accustomed 
to  having  their  husbands  go  away  on  long  journeys,  to 
be  absent  for  years.  I  confess  I  was  not  sorry  to  go ; 
for,  I  knew  that,  if  I  stopped  at  home,  when  the  third 
member  of  the  family  arrived,  it  would  be  my  task  to 
rock  the  cradle.  I  preferred  to  be  rocked  myself  by 
the  waves  on  a  good  ship ! 

Two  days  later  I  bade  farewell  for  a  time  to  Europe, 
and  set  sail  with  Mynheer  Ruissen  for  India.  A  favor- 
able wind  sent  us  skimming  out  of  the  harbor ;  my  wife 
waved  a  farewell  with  her  handkerchief  from  the 
shore. 

"Did  you  commit  any  crimes  on  the  high  seas?" 
This  query  from  the  chair  interrupted  the  voyage  for  a 
few  moments. 

"Nothing  worth  mentioning,  your  honor." 

"Then,  just  skip  over  the  entire  ocean,  and  don't 
waste  our  time  with  descriptions  of  flying-fish,  and 
chanting  mermaids.  Debark  without  further  delay  in 
Bengal,  and  let  us  hear  what  rascalities  you  perpetrated 
there?" 


PART  VIII. 


IN  BENGAL. 

CHAPTER  I. 
BEGUM   SUMRO. 

The  next  morning  Hugo  resumed  his  confession : 

I  hope  the  honorable  gentlemen  of  the  court  will 
pardon  me,  and  not  imagine  I  wish  to  prolong  this 
hearing,  if  I  mention  what  may  seem  trifling  details. 
They  are  absolutely  necessary  to  render  intelligible  the 
recital  of  my  most  serious  transgressions:  idolatry, 
polygamy,  and  regicide — 

"All  of  which  you  will  prove  to  have  been  so  many 
praiseworthy  acts !"  interpolated  the  chair. 

To  begin  with — continued  the  prisoner,  paying  no 
heed  to  the  chair's  interpolation — from  one  of  the 
upper  windows  of  a  tall  tower  that  stands  on  the  left 
bank  of  the  Ganges,  in  the  neighborhood  of  Benares, 
projects  a  bamboo  pole  as  thick  as  a  man's  waist ;  and 
from  it  depends,  by  an  iron  chain,  a  large  iron  cage. 
A  man  is  confined  in  this  cage.  His  food  is  conveyed 
to  him  from  the  window  of  the  tower,  through  a  long 
(232) 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD  233 

hollow  pipe  of  bamboo.  The  cage  hangs  over  a  large 
pool  of  water  that  is  fed  by  an  arm  of  the  river,  and 
swarms  with  voracious  crocodiles. 

It  is  a  horrible  sight,  in  the  late  afternoon,  to  see 
these  ferocious  brutes  lift  their  heads  from  the  water, 
and  grin  at  the  man  in  the  cage.  If  he  should  break 
the  iron  bars  which  confine  him  in  his  airy  prison,  and 
attempt  to  escape  by  leaping  into  the  pool,  the  hungry 
monsters  would  devour  him  skin  and  hair. 

"Who  is  the  man?"  queried  the  chair. 

"No  less  a  personage  than  his  royal  highness,  Shah 
Alum,  the  heir  to  the  throne  of  the  great  Mogul." 

"Why  is  he  confined  in  the  cage?" 

"Because  he  extended  the  hospitalities  of  his  roof  to 
his  highness,  Mir  Cossim,  the  nabob  of  Bengal,  whom 
the  English  banished  from  his  territory,  after  the  battle 
of  Patna.  Later,  after  the  battle  at  Buxar,  Shah  Alum 
himself  fell  into  the  power  of  the  English;  and  Mir 
Cossim  was  obliged  to  flee  to  the  protection  of  the 
nabob  of  Andh,  whose  commander-in-chief  was  the 
General  Sommer,  of  whom  Mynheer  Ruissen  had  told 
me.  The  English  demanded  of  the  nabob  of  Andh, 
that  he  deliver  to  them  Mir  Cossim  and  Sommer: 
whom  they  wanted  to  cage,  and  hang  beside  Shah 
Alum,  to  keep  him  from  getting  lonely !  But  the  nabob 
of  Andh  allowed  Sommer  to  escape ;  and  he  fled  across 
the  Jumna,  where  he  organized  another  army.  He 
was  again  defeated  by  the  English,  and  fled  to  Jood- 
poor,  where  he  placed  himself  under  the  protection  of 
Prince  Radspoota.  Here  he  organized  troops  after  the 
manner  of  those  in  Europe,  and  vanquished  the  rajahs 


234  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

of  Chitore,  and  Abeil.  Again  he  was  compelled  by  the 
English  to  flee — but  not  by  the  force  of  arms  this  time ; 
his  enemies  intimidated  the  prince,  his  protector;  and, 
in  order  not  to  cause  his  highness  any  inconvenience, 
Sommer  went  to  Delhi,  the  chief  city  in  India,  where 
he  sought  the  protection  of  Najuf  Khan.  The  full 
name  of  this  ruler  is :  'Mirza  Nujuf  Khan  Ziilfikar  al 
Dowlah,  commander-in-chief  to  the  Great  Mogul.' 
From  him  Sommer  received  a  hearty  welcome." 

"This  Sommer/'  observed  the  chair,  "seems  to  have 
been  a  vagrant  like  yourself." 

"I  consider  that  a  great  compliment,  your  honor, 
and  thank  you  for  it!"  returned  the  prisoner.  Then 
he  resumed  his  confession:  Sommer  had  an  oppor- 
tunity the  very  first  day  to  prove  his  gratitude  for  the 
friendly  reception  accorded  him  by  Najuf  Khan.  The 
mutinous  Mahrattas  made  a  sudden  attack  that  night 
on  the  residence  of  the  Khan,  and  would  have  assas- 
sinated him,  had  not  Sommer  hastened  with  the  loyal 
Mahrattas  to  the  rescue,  and  vanquished  the  mutineers. 
And  they  were  fine  fellows — devilish  fine  fellows,  too — 
those  mutinous  Mahrattas!  The  crack  troop  of  the 
imperial  army!  They  had  once  compelled  a  former 
commander-in-chief,  who  had  failed,  for  some  reason 
or  other,  to  pay  the  troops,  to  sit,  bound  hand  and 
foot,  and  with  bare  head  in  the  scorching  sun,  until 
he  gave  orders  to  have  them  paid. 

("I  think  it  will  be  well  to  keep  that  episode  from 
the  ears  of  our  troops,"  observed  the  prince  with  a 
meaning  smile.) 

In  gratitude  for  his  rescue,  Najuf  Khan  charged 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  235 

Sommer  with  the  organization  of  his  army ;  and  in  a 
short  time  he,  Sommer,  got  together  a  force  of  natives, 
and  Europeans,  sufficient  to  conquer  a  neighboring 
province,  the  chief  city  of  which  is  Agra ;  he  also  cap- 
tured the  so-called  impregnable  citadel  of  Drig,  in 
which  rock-fortress  he  imprisoned  nabob  Nevil  Szig. 

In  reward  for  this  victorious  campaign,  the  emperor 
of  Delhi  appointed  Sommer  king  of  the  conquered 
province  of  Sardhana.  Thus,  the  son  of  a  grocer  in 
Treves  became  the  sovereign  of  an  East  Indian 
province. 

I  trust  the  honorable  gentlemen  of  the  court  have 
received  this  somewhat  prolix  preface  with  favor.  I 
believed  it  necessary,  in  order  to  familiarize  you  with 
the  marvelous  changes,  which  are  worked  by  a  myste- 
rious fate  in  that  tropical  clime,  where  alone  such 
changes  are  possible. 

If  I  could  but  'elineate  approximately  the  peculiari- 
ties of  that  region,  of  the  atmosphere  I  breathed,  the 
ground  I  trod,  I  believe  the  honorable  gentlemen 
would  say :  "Arise,  and  go  your  way  in  peace.  You 
are  not  to  blame  for  what  you  have  done.  Your  trans- 
gressions are  but  the  fruits  of  the  soil  which  produces 
also  the  boa  and  the  upas  tree." 

The  province  of  Sardhana  is  ten  times  as  large  as  the 
grand-duchy  of  Treves;  and  the  revenue  of  its  sov- 
ereign four  times  that  of  the  grand  duke. 

It  is  a  very  fruitful  country,  rich  in  grain,  wool,  and 
tobacco.  Sommer  built  a  fort  near  his  residence ;  and 
with  the  aid  of  his  troops  kept  the  neighboring  prov- 
inces under  subjection.  He  forced  a  passage  through 


236  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

the  forests  of  Mevas,  into  which,  until  then,  none  of  the 
foreign  conquerors  had  been  able  to  penetrate ;  which 
had  formed  an  impassable  barrier  for  the  great  Alex- 
ander on  his  triumphal  march;  baffled  the  hordes  of 
Djingis  Khan,  whose  inhabitants  sallied  forth  only 
when  they  desired  to  levy  tribute  on  a  neighboring 
tribe. 

After  vanquishing  these  savages,  Sommer  directed 
his  attention  toward  the  inhuman  Balluken,  who 
offered  the  blood  of  young  girls  in  sacrifice  to  their 
gods,  and  in  a  very  short  time  succeeded  in  dislodging 
them  from  their  rocky  retreat.  Ultimately,  he  under- 
took to  subdue  the  royal  Pertaub  Singh,  which  he 
accomplished — but  not  through  the  force  of  arms :  by 
his  powers  of  persuasion,  which  he  possessed  to  a 
marvelous  degree. 

Sommer's  patron,  as  was  natural,  wished  to  bestow 
on  his  successful  commander-in-chief  a  new  reward  for 
all  these  conquests.  There  was  a  beautiful  young  girl, 
named  Zeib  Alnissa  (the  Hindoo  for  "ornament  of  her 
sex"),  the  daughter  of  one  of  the  most  influential 
princely  families  in  Delhi,  and  this  girl  the  emperor 
sought  in  marriage  for  his  favorite. 

Sommer  informed  his  patron  that  he  would  espouse 
the  beautiful  Zeib  Alnissa  if  she  would  adopt  the  Chris- 
tian faith. 

"Why,"  exclaimed  the  emperor,  "can't  you  love  a 
woman  who  worships  Brahma?" 

"Oh,  yes,  your  imperial  highness/'  responded  Som- 
mer ;  "it  is  because  I  should  love  her  very  much,  that 
I  want  her  to  belong  to  my  faith.  I  am  not  a  young 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  237 

man  any  more,  and  I  have  a  profligate  son  whom  I 
have  been  forced  to  disown.  If  I  should  die,  my  wife, 
according  to  the  Brahminical  custom,  would  be  burned 
alive  with  my  body.  If  she  becomes  a  Christian,  she 
will  not  have  to  ascend  the  funeral  pyre,  but  my  throne, 
where  she  will  reign  as  Begum,  and  prevent  my  king- 
dom from  falling  into  the  hands  of  my  worthless  son." 

The  emperor  conceded  that  Sommer's  argument  was 
just ;  and  permitted  the  foreign  missionaries  to  convert 
the  lovely  young  princess  to  the  Christian  faith.  This 
was  a  concession  never  before  granted  to  a  European 
in  India. 

Zeib  Alnissa  adored  her  husband.  She  accompanied 
him  on  every  expedition  he  undertook;  watched  over 
him ;  guarded  him  from  the  secret  enemies  and  treach- 
ery which  encompass  every  East  Indian  sovereign. 
The  successful  commander-in-chief  had  many  enemies 
and  rivals.  The  English  company  had  long  ranked 
among  his  opponents.  Not  infrequently  he  was  rescued 
as  by  a  miracle  from  great  danger  by  the  watchful  care 
of  his  devoted  wife. 

Ultimately,  however,  his  enemies  succeeded  in  their 
attempts  on  his  life ;  and  the  brave  commander-in-chief 
succumbed  to  the  poison  secretly  administered  to  him. 
He  died  in  the  arms  of  the  faithful  Zeib  Alnissa,  just 
about  the  time  I  arrived  in  Sardhana,  to  take  com- 
mand of  his  artillery. 

His  widow,  under  the  title  of  Sumro  Begum, 
ascended  the  throne,  thus  preventing,  as  her  husband 
had  desired,  her  step-son  from  inheriting  it. 

This  son  was  a  truly  immoral  and  wicked  fellow.    I 


238  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

saw  him  for  a  few  minutes  after  the  Begum's  accession 
to  the  crown,  and  after  she  had  confirmed  my  appoint- 
ment as  commander  of  the  fort.  He  actually  had  the 
effrontery  to  try  to  bribe  me  to  betray  the  Begum  into 
his  power ;  and,  on  finding  that  his  efforts  were  useless, 
he  threatened  to  revenge  himself  on  me  when  he  should 
come  into  possession  of  the  throne. 

"Very  well,"  I  retorted.  "When  that  time  comes  I 
shall  become  a  regicide." 

How  little  I  dreamed  then,  that  my  words  were 
prophetic ! 

Meanwhile,  Sumro  Begum  grasped  with  a  firm  hand 
the  reins  of  government.  She  increased  her  army,  and 
added  several  pieces  of  ordnance  to  the  artillery. 

Seated  on  a  spirited  battle-horse,  or  elephant,  she 
inspected  the  manoeuvers  in  person. 

Her  neighbors  in  the  adjacent  provinces  very  soon 
learned  to  fear  and  respect  her ;  even  the  emperor  gave 
her  credit  for  great  prudence  and  wisdom.  Indeed,  so 
great  was  the  influence  she  wielded,  that  her  voice  fre- 
quently decided  the  issue  in  the  discussions  at  court. 

Those  East  Indian  dignitaries  are  a  jealous  folk. 
When  Gholam  Kadir  found  that  his  influence  at  the 
imperial  court  was  secondary  to  that  of  Sumro  Begum, 
he  mafched  with  his  troops  on  the  capital,  and  began  to 
bombard  the  palace.  Sumro  Begum,  however,  heard 
the  thunder  of  the  cannonading,  and  hastily  summon- 
ing her  troops,  joined  her  forces  to  those  of  Prince 
Ivan  Buk,  and  drove  the  jealous  Gholam  Kadir  back 
to  his  province. 

The  revolt  in  the  interior  of  his  empire  concluded, 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  239 

the  emperor  was  at  liberty  to  turn  his  attention  to  the 
foreign  invader.  Kuli  Khan  had  captured  the  fortress 
of  Ghokal  Gur.  This  valuable  stronghold  had  to  be 
recaptured;  and  troops  were  not  lacking,  but  leaders 
were.  Sommer's  loss  was  most  keenly  felt ;  but  Sumro 
Begum  was  still  to  the  fore,  and  she  was  worth  a  dozen 
ordinary  generals. 

The  imperial  troops  had  been  trying  for  three  weeks 
to  recapture  the  fortress  of  Ghokal  Gur.  They  had 
become  tired  of  the  continued  ill-success  of  their  under- 
taking, and  had  abandoned  themselves  to  feasting  and 
carousing.  One  night,  after  all  tipsy  heads  had  been 
laid  to  rest,  Kuli  Khan,  with  his  Mongolian  cavalry, 
surprised  the  imperial  camp,  and  began  to  slaughter 
the  stupefied  troops.  The  enemy  in  the  fortress  could 
see  by  the  light  of  the  burning  tents  the  horrible 
butchery  going  on  outside  the  walls,  and  decided  to 
take  a  hand  in  it.  The  emperor's  tent  was  riddled  with 
bullets ;  two  of  his  palanquin  bearers  were  killed,  and 
he  was  obliged  to  seek  flight  on  his  own  feet.  But, 
whither  to  turn  he  knew  not,  as  he  was  in  the  center 
of  a  furious  cross-fire. 

It  is  quite  certain  that  he  would  have  been  destroyed, 
together  with  his  entire  army,  had  not  Sumro  Begum 
hastened  to  the  rescue,  with  her  admirably  disciplined 
troops,  officered  by  Europeans. 

On  hearing  of  the  emperor's  danger  the  heroic 
Begum  summoned  her  body-guard — hardly  one  hun- 
dred men — entered  her  palanquin,  and  hastened,  with 
the  battery  under  my  command,  toward  the  thickest 
of  the  fight. 


240  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

When  she  saw  that  the  enemy  from  the  fortress  was 
taking  part  in  the  massacre  of  the  half-sober  imperial 
troops,  she  called  to  me : 

"Follow  my  example !" 

Then,  she  sprang  from  her  palanquin,  mounted  a 
horse,  and  at  the  head  of  her  body-guard,  charged  upon 
the  enemy. 

I  knew  very  well  what  was  expected  of  me !  I  placed 
my  battery  in  such  a  position  that  the  guns  would 
clear  a  way  for  the  Begum. 

In  a  very  short  time  the  valiant  enemy,  who  had 
sallied  forth  from  the  fortress  to  take  a  hand  in  slaugh- 
tering their  beleaguerers,  were  in  a  wild  retreat  toward 
it.  Sumro  Begum  met  them  at  the  draw-bridge,  took 
the  commander  prisoner,  and,  with  him  in  chains  at  her 
side,  entered  the  fort,  of  which  she  took  possession  in 
the  name  of  the  emperor.  She  left  all  but  ten  of  her 
men  to  guard  the  fort,  and  returned  to  the  assistance 
of  the  emperor,  whose  troops,  taking  courage  from  the 
example  of  the  brave  Begum,  plucked  up  heart,  turned 
upon  their  butchers,  and  after  a  severe  struggle  gained 
the  mastery. 

The  rising  sun  witnessed  the  annihilation  of  the 
enemy. 

The  fort  was  again  in  the  possession  of  the  emperor, 
who,  in  face  of  his  entire  army,  embraced  Sumro 
Begum,  and  called  her  his  "dear  daughter."  He  did 
not  hesitate  to  declare,  in  the  presence  of  his  com- 
manding officers,  that  he  owed  his  life,  the  lives  of  six 
imperial  princes,  his  empire,  and  the  rescue  of  his 
army,  to  the  brave  woman. 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  241 

To  this  the  Begum,  with  a  modest  blush,  made  reply : 
"Not  to  me  alone  is  due  all  this  praise,  your  imperial 
highness.  The  greater  portion  belongs  to  my  com- 
mander of  artillery.  This  is  he" — she  drew  me  forward 
and  presented  me  to  the  emperor.  "To  him  must  be 
given  a  fitting  reward  for  the  great  service  he  has  done 
your  imperial  highness." 

The  answer  to  this  was: 

"Let  yourself  be  the  brave  man's  reward  !" 

With  his  own  imperial  hand  he  placed  the  lady's 
hand  in  my  own,  and  betrothed  her  to  me  with  a  ring 
from  his  own  finger.  At  the  same  time  he  appointed 
me  co-regent  of  Sardhana,  under  the  name  of  Maha- 
rajah Kong.  Thus,  I  became — not  a  captain,  but  a 
maharajah. 

"And  all  this  really  happened?"  inquired  the  chair. 

"Yes,  your  honor,  and  more  too — as  you  may  read 
in  the  court  chronicles  at  Delhi." 

"We  will  hear  the  rest  tomorrow,"  observed  the 
prince.  "It  is  enough  for  one  day  to  have  heard  how 
the  son  of  an  Andernach  tanner  became  assistant  sov- 
ereign of  a  province  in  India." 


CHAPTER  II. 
IDOL  WORSHIP. 

The  next  day  the  prisoner  resumed  his  confession : 

I  was  now  ruler  of  a  province,  with  a  revenue  of 
twenty  lacs  of  rupees.  I  had  a  remarkably  handsome 
and  clever  wife,  with  eyes  than  which  no  gem  was 
brighter. 

But,  there  was  a  thought  that  troubled  me  night  and 
day: 

What  was  to  become  of  my  wife  in  Holland? 

My  religion  forbade  two  wives.  This  thought  so 
troubled  me,  that  at  last  I  confided  it  to  Sumro  Begum. 

"I  don't  see  why  you  considered  that  necessary," 
interrupted  the  chair.  "You  had  already  told  so  many 
lies,  another  one  would  certainly  have  found  room 
beside  the  rest !" 

I  beg  your  honor  to  remember  that  I  vowed  at  the 
grave  of  my  poor  father  to  lead  a  God-fearing  life,  and 
to  let  nothing  but  the  truth  pass  my  lips.  The  ring 
made  of  the  coffin-nail,  which  I  wore  on  my  thumb, 
constantly  reminded  me  of  my  vow.  Therefore,  I 
considered  it  my  duty  to  tell  Sumro  Begum  that  I  had 
a  legal  wife  in  Holland ;  and  that,  were  I  to  go  back  to 
her,  I  should  find  my  child  on  her  bosom. 

The  Begum  was  not  in  the  least  offended  when  I 
made  my  confession ;  on  the  contrary,  she  commended 
(242) 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  243 

me  for  telling  the  truth.  "He  who  proves  h;mself 
faithful  to  the  absent  one,  will  certainly  remain  loyal 
to  the  one  at  hand,"  she  quoted.  Only  a  religion  stood 
between  her  and  me ;  and  that  might  easily  be  changed. 

"If  we  remain  Catholics,  of  course  two  wives  are 
out  of  the  question,"  decided  the  Begum,  "because  that 
would  be  bigamy.  If  we  go  over  to  the  Brahmans, 
their  sacred  books  forbid  the  wife  to  occupy  the  throne 
with  her  husband,  and  the  widow  from  marrying  again. 
But,  there  is  the  faith  of  Siva ;  it  permits  a  man  to  have 
more  than  one  wife ;  it  acknowledges  no  difference  of 
rank  between  man  and  man — as  do  the  Brahman  and 
the  Christian  religions — nor  does  it  consider  a  woman 
a  soulless  animal,  men  and  women  are  alike  human 
beings.  An  adherent  of  the  Siva  faith  may  even  take 
a  foreigner  to  wife ;  he  may  eat  at  the  same  table  with 
his  wife,  or  wives,  after  the  grace  before  food,  pre- 
scribed by  the  Prophet  Bazawa,  has  been  repeated.  We 
will  adopt  this  faith,  then  you  may  keep  your  other 
wife,  and  I  will  share  with  her  your  love  and  respect." 

I  thought  over  this  suggestion  for  several  days,  for 
the  fate  of  an  entire  province  depended  on  my  decision. 

On  the  one  hand  a  people  whose  prosperity 
depended  on  how  I  would  settle  the  question ;  a  yearly 
income  of  several  million  thalers,  a  beautiful  and  clever 
wife  with  a  heart  filled  with  love  for  me,  with  all  the 
delights  of  paradise  on  her  lips — on  the  other:  the 
Roman  pope,  with  St.  Peter's  keys  in  his  possession  ! 

In  my  position,  your  highness,  and  honorable  gen- 
tlemen, how  would  you  have  decided? 

"Get  along  with  you,  perversus  nebulo!"  exclaimed 


244  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

his  highness,  smiling.  "You  want  us  to  commit  our- 
selves, do  you?  Fll  warrant  you  suspect  what  would 
have  been  our  decision !  I  don't  in  the  least  doubt  but 
even  the  mayor  here,  would  elect  to  kiss  a  beautiful 
woman  rather  than  the  pope's  slipper — especially  if  the 
choice  were  submitted  to  him  in  the  province  of  Sard- 
hana !  It  is  enough :  you  became  an  idol  worshipper — 
forced  to  it  by  circumstances.  It  is  your  own  affair, 
and  one  which  you  will  have  to  settle  with  a  higher 
tribunal  than  this  one.  This  indictment  may  be  erased 
from  the  record." 

Not  even  the  mayor  objected  to  this  decision.  At 
first,  though,  he  wrinkled  his  brows  and  looked  seri- 
ous; but  in  the  end  he  smiled  with  the  rest;  and 
dictated  to  the  notary,  that  the  transgression  last  con- 
fessed might  be  recorded  as  condoned  by  the  court. 

Most  worthy  and  honorable  gentlemen,  resumed 
the  prisoner,  I  must  now  tell  you  something  about  the 
customs  and  manners  of  that  land  whither  I  had  been 
led  by  the  hand  of  destiny.  Even  the  sky  over  there 
is  unlike  ours.  Why,  the  sun  of  Holland  would  not  do 
for  a  moon  in  India!  Yon  flaming  heavens  heat  the 
blood  and  brain  to  boiling;  the  humid -atmosphere 
creates  phenomena  which  are  like  the  phantasmagoria 
of  delirium ;  triple  suns,  and  wreaths  of  flame  appear  in 
the  sky ;  when  frequently  the  mysterious  Fata  Morgana 
portrays  inverted  landscapes,  and  cities ;  the  vivid  cpl- 
oring  of  the  clouds  causes  the  most  brilliant  hues  on 
the  earth  below  to  appear  faded  and  insignificant. 

Forests,  fields,  houses,  human  beings,  at  times  take 
on  an  ocherous'hue,  as  if  the  world  were  dead;  and 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  245 

when  a  rain  falls,  it  is  a  deluge  of  fire  from  a  sky  of 
brass.  And  sometimes,  the  cloud-burst  will  be  like  a 
rain  of  blood,  and  the  whole  earth  will  glow  with  the 
most  brilliant  crimson  hue. 

On  very,  very  hot  days,  when  the  native  farmers 
trudge  along  the  high-road  (the  high  caste  native  never 
travels  on  foot,  nor  appears  in  public  at  midday)  the 
dust  rising  from  their  feet  looks  like  a  fiery  mist,  and 
makes  one  think  he  is  looking  on  the  damned  in  hades 
walking  amid  the  flames  ! 

And  there  too  the  soil  is  so  different  from  ours. 
There  the  plants  we  grow  in  pots  in  our  hot  houses 
thrive  and  luxuriate  under  the  open  sky,  and  form  a 
wilderness,  the  lurking  place  of  tigers  and  lions,  in 
which  the  fragrance  of  the  very  air  is  intoxicating  as 
wine. 

The  hundred  different  varieties  of  fruits,  which  ripen 
in  succession  throughout  the  year,  explain  sufficiently 
how  a  people  that  outnumbers  the  entire  population  of 
Europe  are  able  to  subsist  on  vegetable  diet  alone, 
without  the  nourishment  of  meats,  which  their  religion 
prohibits. 

The  borasses  palm  supplies  them  with  honey,  oil, 
wine,  and  sugar ;  another  palm  yields  flour,  butter,  and 
milk;  and  they  have  a  tree  on  which  grow  loaves  of 
bread  the  size  of  a  human  head;  raw,  this  vegetable 
bread  is  a  sweet  fruit;  baked,  it  is  as  palatable  as  a 
bakers'  loaf  and — 

"Stop !  stop !"  cried  the  chair,  rapping  on  the  table 
with  his  stick.  "That  is  going  too  far !  Of  all  the  lies 


246  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

you  have  told  us,  this  one  about  loaves  of  bread  grow- 
ing on  a  tree  is  the  most  outrageously  incredible." 

"I  am  very  sorry  that  your  honor  refuses  to  believe 
there  is  such  a  tree.  The  proof  that  I  am  not  lying 
may  easily  be  obtained,  if  your  honor  will  send  a  depu- 
tation to  India,  to  make  inquiries  concerning  the  truth 
of  my  statements,  if  it  turns  out  that  a  single  one  of 
them  is  lacking  in  truth,  then  your  honor  may  disbe- 
lieve all  the  rest." 

"Oho !"  sneered  the  chair,  "you  would  like  to  post- 
pone this  trial  for  a  year  or  more,  while  a  searching 
commission  travelled  to  the  end  of  the  world  and  back 
— wouldn't  you?  We  prefer  to  believe  that  living 
creatures  also  hang  on  trees  like  fruits." 

"And  so  they  do !"  responded  the  prisoner.  "There 
is  a  sort  of  large  squirrel,  or  small  dog,  that  has  wings 
and  flies,  and  at  night  hangs  by  its  hind  legs  to  the 
limbs  of  trees,  and  looks  like  a  gourd." 

"Didn't  I  say  so?"  again  interrupted  the  chair  with  a 
choleric  laugh.  "Flying  dogs  that  sleep  hanging  by 
their  feet !  Go  on  with  your  fables,  you  reprobate ! — 
this  honorable  court  is  sitting  for  the  sole  purpose  of 
believing  every  lie  you  choose  to  tell.  I  am  curious  to 
hear  how  your  bread  growing  on  trees,  and  your  flying 
dogs  are  going  to  clear  you  of  the  crimes  of  bigamy 
and  regicide." 

I  am  coming  to  that,  your  honor.  The  entire  world 
which  environs  the  human  being  in  that  distant  land, 
works  an  irresistible  influence  on  his  nature,  and  the 
native  inhabitant  compels,  with  his  peculiar  religion, 
customs,  his  deeply-rooted  prejudices,  the  foreigner 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  247 

resident  to  adopt  a  mode  of  life  antipodal  to  that  he 
led  at  home. 

The  majority  of  the  natives  wear  no  clothing  at  all ; 
while  the  rest  bend  under  a  costly  burden  of  greatest 
splendor. 

The  Indian  is  a  mixture  of  the  ideally  perfect,  and 
the  grotesquely  hideous,  heroic  at  one  moment,  cow- 
ardly the  next,  free  as  a  bird,  and  restricted  as  an 
anchorite.  He  is  to  be  envied  for  his  paradisal  sim- 
plicity, and  admired  for  his  gigantic  creations.  His 
cities  surpass  in  magnificence  and  grandeur  those  of 
Europe.  His  churches  are  mountains,  enormous  edi- 
fices hewn  by  artist  hands  from  a  single  rock ;  with 
thousands  of  majestic  columns,  and  armies  of  idols; 
while  his  huts  are  more  abjectly  wretched  than  the 
dwellings  of  our  beavers.  The  Indian,  with  his  thous- 
and gods,  to  all  of  whom  he  renders  service  and  sacri- 
fices— and  of  whom  not  one  possesses  the  power  to 
help  him — is  so  gentle-hearted,  that  he  will  not  take 
the  life  of  an  animal ;  allows  himself  to  be  devoured  by 
lions  and  tigers ;  crushed  under  foot  by  the  rhinoceros ; 
bitten  by  serpents ;  and  stung  by  venomous  insects — 
and  yet,  he  considers  it  no  sin  to  exterminate  an  entire 
neighboring  folk. 

Oh,  that  is  a  strange  country :  where  the  aristocrat,  if 
touched  by  a  member  of  another  caste,  considers  him- 
self defiled,  and  possesses  the  right  to  cut  off  the  hand, 
or  arm  that  touched  him,  arid  the  mutilated  pariah 
accepts  the  punishment  as  his  due.  Where  the  wife  is 
burned  alive  on  the  funeral  pyre  of  her  husband ;  where 
the  invalid  is  placed  on  the  banks  of  a  river,  and 


248  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

declared  to  be  already  dead,  so  that,  should  he  recover, 
he  may  not  return  to  the  living,  but  seek  the  "com- 
munity of  the  dead,"  which  is  made  up  of  one-time 
invalids,  recovered  like  himself. 

Dwelling  amid  such  a  people,  every  idea  the  Euro- 
pean entertains  when  he  lands  on  that  shore  very  soon 
fades  away;  for,  there,  they  have  different  virtues  and 
different  sins. 

"This  lengthy  dissertation  I  take  it,"  interrupted  the 
chair,  "is  for  the  purpose  of  acquainting  the  court  that 
bigamy  and  regicide  are  permissable  crimes  among 
that  wonderful  people?" 

Bigamy  is  permissable,  your  honor,  on  conditions: 
if  the  first  wife  consents,  her  husband  may  marry  a 
second.  But,  before  the  consent  of  the  first  wife  is 
secured,  he  may  not  kiss  and  embrace  his  second. 


CHAPTER  III. 
MAIMUNA,  AND  DANESH. 

My  beautiful  Zeib  Alnissa  was  a  wonderful  woman. 
On  the  day  of  our  wedding,  which  was  celebrated 
with  truly  Asiatic  splendor,  when  meal-time  came,  and 
I  took  my  seat  at  the  head  of  the  table,  she  could  not  be 
induced  to  sit  by  my  side;  but  seated  herself  at  the 
extreme  lower  end  of  the  board.  This  custom,  she  said, 
we  should  have  to  observe,  until  we  received  my  first 
wife's  consent  to  our  marriage,  which  would  give  my 
second  the  right  to  repeat  the  Bazawa  grace  before 
food.  Until  my  new  wife  was  entitled  to  perform  this 
ceremony  we  were  not  allowed  to  drink  from  the  same 
cup;  were  not  permitted  to  clasp  hands,  or  look  into 
each  other's  eyes.  I  might  not  have  respected  all  these 
rigid  laws,  which  kept  me  separated  from  my  beautiful 
bride,  had  not  Zeib  Alnissa  herself  understood  how  to 
compel  me  to  respect  them. 

The  Siva  religion  prohibits  the  use  of  wine,  which  is 
to  be  regretted ;  for,  in  that  tropic  zone,  grow  hundreds 
and  hundreds  of  different  sorts  of  fruits,  which  would 
yield  nectarious  beverages,  the  taste  of  which  would 
cause  one  to  forget  all  about  wine,  and  disgust  one 
with  beer.  Tons  of  deliciously  sweet  and  aromatic  sap 
flow  from  the  'pierced  palm,  and  the  agave,  and  its 
Affect  on  the  human  senses  is  nothing  like  the  stupor 

(249) 


250  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

which  results  from  drinking  our  liquors ;  it  is  rather  a 
state  of  exaltation. 

My  charming  bride  understood  well  how  to  entertain 
me  with  tales  of  her  native  palm  forests.  She  related 
the  history  of  Prince  Kamir  Essaman,  and  the  Princess 
Bedur.  She  told  me  how  the  prince,  who  lived  in 
India,  and  the  princess,  whose  home  was  in  Persia, 
were  brought  together  while  they  slept,  by  the  two 
friendly  genii,  Maimuna  and  Danesh,  who  bore  the 
sleeping  lovers  on  their  pinions  to  the  place  of  meet- 
ing, and  then  back  to  their  homes  again.  It  was  an 
interesting  tale,  but  I  grew  very  sleepy  while  listening 
to  it.  I  am  convinced  that  the  spicy  potion  Zeib  Alnissa 
prepared  for  me  caused  the  drowsiness,  and  I  only 
remember  that,  as  I  sank  back  on  my  pillow,  she  placed 
the  prohibitory  unsheathed  sword  between  herself  and 
me. 

The  moment  I  closed  my  eyes  in  sleep  I  quitted  this 
earth.  I  could  hear  the  rustle  of  wings  as  I  was  borne 
swiftly  through  the  clouds,  which  parted  with  a  sound 
like  thunder — as  when  they  are  rent  by  lightning.  By 
the  light  of  the  stars  I  could  see  that  I  was  lying  on 
the  wings  of  the  Jinnee,  Danesh. 

He  was  of  gigantic  form ;  his  wings,  like  those  of  a 
bat  stretched  from  horizon  to  horizon ;  his  hair  looked 
like  bamboo  rods,  and  his  beard  like  palm  leaves. 

So  swift  was  our  flight  that  the  moon  changed  from 
full  to  last  quarter  above  us.  A  meteor  raced  to  over- 
take us,  but,  when  it  came  abreast  with  Danesh,  he 
thrust  out  his  foot,  and  gave  it  a  kick  that  burst  it,  and 
sent  myriads  of  sparks  flying  in  all  directions.  Looking 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD  251 

downward,  I  saw  China,  which  I  recognized  by  its 
porcelain  towers,  and  long  canals.  Then  Thibet,  with 
the  snow-clad  summits  of  the  Himalayan  range,  and 
the  great  Mongolian  plain. 

At  last  we  arrived  over  Mount  Ararat.  I  knew 
where  I  was,  by  the  tongues  of  flame  which  encircled 
the  mount  like  a  wreath.  They  were  the  altars  of  the 
fire-worshipping  Parsees — the  source  of  Baku's  eter- 
nal fires ;  and  Danesh  was  one  of  the  great  spirits  of 
the  flame-adoring  heathen.  On  the  summit  of  Mount 
Ararat  was  a  magnificent  palace — to  describe  its  splen- 
dors is  impossible  to  the  human  tongue !  Its  walls  were 
covered  with  the  names  of  those  persons  who  have 
been  happy,  and  have  thanked  God  therefor.  The 
letters  in  which  the  names  are  written  are  so  radiant', 
they  make  night  as  light  as  day. 

Here,  in  a  sumptuous  apartment,  with  silken  hang- 
ings, and  glittering  with  gems,  Danesh  laid  me  gently 
down  on  a  divan ;  and  immediately  began  to  laugh  in 
a  tone  that  sounded  like  thunder. 

In  answer  to  his  laughter,  there  came  a  sound  from 
the  air,  as  if  the  balmy  south  wind  were  murmuring 
a  complaint. 

"You  are  the  one-hundred-thousandth  part  of  a  min- 
ute late/'  called  Danesh. 

"And  you  are  three-hundred-thousand  eons  ahead  of 
time,"  replied  the  second  Voice ;  and  the  next  instant 
Maimuna  descended  from  the  sky. 

This  Jinnee  was  also  of  giant  stature,  but  of  feminine 
form.  Her  ringlets  were  of  sea-coral,  her  wings  of 


252  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

gleaming  mother-of-pearl,  and  on  them  she  bore  a 
woman  whom  she  laid  by  my  side  on  the  divan. 

Then  the  two  genii  suddenly  changed  to  vapor ;  one 
blue,  the  other  yellow ;  and  while  I  was  staring  at  them 
the  two  columns  of  smoke  sank  into  two  large  crystal 
decanters,  which  stood  on  the  table  among  the  costly 
viands  and  wines. 

Then  I  turned  to  look  at  the  woman  by  my  side — 
it  was  my  own  wife,  the  one  I  had  left  in  Nimeguen, 
only  that  she  was  more  beautiful,  and  garbed  more 
elegantly  than  I  had  ever  seen  her. 

Her  voice  too  was  sweeter,  her  caresses  more  en- 
dearing; she  seemed  more  like  a  celestial  being  than  a 
woman  of  flesh  and  blood.  We  showered  kisses  on 
each  other;  I  could  read  in  her  radiant  countenance 
how  overjoyed  she  was  to  be  with  me  again;  and  I 
was  enraptured  to  clasp  her  once  more  in  my  arms. 

We  committed  a  thousand  foolish  acts;  laughed, 
teased  each  other  like  children.  We  seated  ourselves 
at  the  bountifully  spread  board  ;  I  shared  every  bite  she 
took ;  drank  out  of  her  glass ;  we  sat  on  the  same  chair, 
drank  of  every  bottle,  and  found  each  one  sweeter, 
more  delicious  than  the  last. 

"Let  us  taste  what  is  in  those  bottles  too,"  suggested 
my  wife,  pointing  toward  the  two  decanters — one  blue, 
the  other  yellow. 

"Yes,  let  us,"  I  assented,  and  I  drew  out  the  .glass 
stoppers.  But,  instead  of  wine,  two  columns  of  vapor 
rose  from  the  decanters,  one  blue,  the  other  yellow, 
and  rilled  the  room.  The  vapor  took  shape,  first  the 
blue  then  the  yellow,  and  one  became  Danesh,  the 


I  could  read  in  her  radiant  countenance  how  overjoyed  she 
was  to  be  with  me  again ;  and  I  was  enraptured 
to  clasp  her  once  more  in  my  arms  " 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  253 

other  Maimuna,  and  we  knew  that  our  bliss  was  at  an 
end — that  we  should  have  to  part. 

We  added  our  names  to  those  gleaming  on  the  walls, 
to  certify  that  we  also  had  been  happy  there. 

After  I  had  written  my  name,  it  occurred  to  me  that 
I  had  something  important  to  tell  my  wife ;  so  I  said  to 
her:  "My  love,  I  must  tell  you  that  I  have  become  a 
king ;  and  that  I  have  taken  a  second  wife.  I  want  to 
ask  a  favor  of  you ;  will  you  consent  to  let  me  kiss  and 
embrace  her  as  I  do  you?" 

The  woman  replied :    "I  do  consent." 

That  I  might  have  proof  of  our  having  spent  a  bliss- 
ful hour  together,  and  that  she  had  given  me  the 
desired  permission  to  take  a  second  wife,  she  pressed 
my  hand  so  tightly  in  her  own,  that  the  wedding  ring 
on  my  finger — the  one  with  which  I  had  espoused  her 
— burst  asunder.  And  that  she  also  might  possess 
evidence  of  our  meeting,  I  gave  her  the  "lingam" — the 
symbol  of  the  Siva  faith — I  wore  on  my  arm  attached  to 
a  gold  bracelet.  I  also  tore  from  the  canopy  over  our 
divan  a  small  piece  of  the  material  of  which  it  was 
made — crimson  silk  woven  with  dragons  in  gold 
thread. 

Then  the  two  genii  took  us  again  on  their  wings, 
and  soon  I  was  speeding  again  amid  the  clouds,  with 
the  glittering  stars  above  me. 

The  icy  summits  of  the  Himalayas  were  already 
gleaming  with  the  rosy  hues  of  dawn,  on  noting  which 
Danesh  increased  his  speed.  I  heard  the  sea  murmur- 
ing below — a  ray  ,of  sunlight  from  the  eastern  moun- 
tains pierced  through  Danesh  like  an  arrow,  he 


254  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

dropped  me  and  I  fell  to  the  earth.  Fortunately  I  had 
not  far  to  fall — only  from  my  bed,  in  the  palace  of 
Sardhana,  to  the  floor ! 

"Was  it  necessary  to  tell  us  what  you  dreamed?" 
angrily  demanded  the  chair. 

"Well,  your  honor,  if  the  court  at  Nimeguen 
accepted  my  dream  as  evidence,  and  based  its  decision 
on  it,  I  think  it  may  also  be  recorded  here.  Moreover, 
the  vision  I  have  related  is  an  important  factor  in  this 
case/' 

I  was  so  deeply  impressed  by  my  dream,  that  I 
related  it  to  Zeib  Alnissa  as  an  actual  occurrence.  I 
assured  her  I  had  really  been  with  my  other  wife,  in 
proof  of  which  I  showed  her  the  broken  ring  on  my 
finger. 

"It  is  a  most  wonderful  occurrence !"  was  Zeib 
Alnissa's  comment,  when  I  concluded  my  recital. 
"Write  out  the  whole  vision,  exactly  as  you  related  it 
to  me,  and  we  will  send  it  to  your  wife  in  Holland. 
One  of  my  captains  shall  hasten  with  the  document 
after  the  messenger  you  have  sent  to  her  with  the  letter 
asking  her  to  consent  to  our  marriage." 

I  acted  in  accordance  with  the  suggestion,  and  wrote 
on  a  long  strip  of  Chinese  palm-paper,  which  is  tough 
as  leather,  a  full  account  of  my  vision.  The  Begum 
then  sent  for  seven  bonzes,  who  were  skilled  writers, 
that  they  might,  by  signing  their  names  to  the  account, 
certify  that  what  I  had  written  had  really  occurred; 
that  Maimuna  and  Danesh  were  a  well  known  pair  of 
genii,  who  mantained  direct  communication  between 
India  and  other  portions  of  the  globe,  and  that  there 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  255 

was  on  Mount  Ararat  a  magnificent  palace  for  the 
use  of  lovers  who  came  from  distant  parts  of  the  world 
to  meet  there.  All  of  which  was  to  prove  indubitably 
that  I  and  my  wife  from  Holland  had  been  together  in 
the  palace. 

This  document  dispatched,  I  believed  the  question  of 
the  prohibitory  sword  between  me  and  Zeib  Alnissa 
settled;  but  I  was  mistaken;  she  did  not  repeat 
Bazavva's  grace  at  supper. 

"On  what  are  you  waiting  now?"  I  asked.  "Haven't 
I  asked  my  other  wife  for  her  consent?  Haven't  I  been 
with  her,  and  given  her  my  lingam?" 

"Yes,  but  she  has  not  yet  given  you  anything.  Until 
I  have  her  written  consent  in  my  hands,  I  dare  not 
repeat  Bazawa's  blessing,"  was  Zeib  Alnissa's  smiling 
reply. 

"And  I  shall  have  to  wait  at  the  gates  of  paradise, 
content  myself  with  inhaling  the  perfume  of  the  flowers 
within  the  walls,  until  our  messenger  has  twice  trav- 
ersed the  ocean  between  India  and  Holland?" 

"He  will  need  to  cross  only  once.  I  ordered  him  to 
take  with  him  several  doves,  the  species  with  green 
feathers  known  as  bridegroom's  doves.  When  your 
wife  has  written  her  consent,  the  messenger  will  bind  it 
under  the  wing  of  a  dove,  and  it  will  fly  from  Holland 
to  us  here  in  two  days.  So,  you  need  reckon  only  the 
outward  voyage." 

But  that  would  take  considerable  time  too  !  I  began 
to  wonder  how  I  should  have  comforted  myself  had  I, 
instead  of  becoming  art  adherent  of  Siva,  adopted  the 


256  TOLD  BY. THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

faith  of  Brahma,  or  Vishnu,  or  any  other  of  the  many- 
handed,  many-footed  deities. 

"Knave,  what  about  Jehovah?"  interposed  the  chair 
with  just  indignation. 

"Jehovah,  your  honor,  does  not  forbid  polygamy. 
The  patriarch  Jacob  had  two  wives;  David  had  four; 
Solomon  the  wise  had  one  thousand  four  hundred.  But, 
it  would  be  a  pity  to  waste  precious  time  over  dogmatic 
discussion.  Besides,  my  wondering  resulted  in  noth- 
ing. One  hundred  and  ten  days  and  nights  I  passed  in 
the  society  of  my  charming  bride ;  we  ate  at  the  same 
table ;  slept  under  the  same  canopy ;  but  not  once  did  I 
clasp  her  hand,  or  kiss  her  lovely  lips." 

"I  am  curious  to  know  how  you  managed  not  to  do 
either,"  observed  the  prince. 

"Does  your  highness  desire  me  to  relate  what  hap- 
pened on  every  one  of  the  one-hundred  and  ten  days 
and  nights?" 

"Not  by  any  means !"  hastily  interrupted  the  chair. 
"We  want  only  a  summary  of  your  doings  out  yonder." 

The  prisoner  bowed,  and  resumed  his  confession : 

I  determined  that  I  would  not  again  drink  the  sort 
of  sleeping  potion  which  had  sent  me  speeding  among 
the  clouds  on  Danesh's  back,  and  communicated  my 
decision  to  Zeib  Alnissa. 

"Very  well,"  said  she,  "then  I  will  prepare  a  drink  for 
you, that  will  keep  you  awake  all  night." 

That  would  suit  me. 

In  India  the  preparation  of  elixirs  of  all  sorts  has 
reached  a  high  grade.  There  is  a  drug  which,  if  taken 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  257 

by  a  man  of  mild  disposition,  will  make  him  warlike 
and  fierce;  it  is  called  "bangue." 

By  administering  to  the  peaceable  elephants  a  decoc- 
tion of  the  "thauverd,"  they  can  be  made  quarrelsome 
and  ferocious  for  the  combats  arranged  for  the  Shah's 
guests.  "Therat"  will  give  one  the  inspirations  of  a 
poet;  after  taking  it,  the  most  unimaginative  person 
will  become  a  romancer,  and  composer  of  verses.  The 
"Nazzarani"  tax  can  be  collected  from  the  natives 
only  when  they  have  become  docile  and  tractable  from 
having  eaten  "mhoval"  flowers — a  species  of  manna. 

Zeib  Alnissa  gave  me  some  "panzopari"  to  chew ;  it 
possesses  a  singular  property;  it  will  make  even  the 
noisiest  tippler  so  sober  and  sedate  that  his  brain 
becomes  the  seat  of  all  wisdom.  Then  she  began  to 
speak  of  her  plans  for  the  future  government  of  our 
province,  and  other  equally  important  matters;  con- 
tinuing to  talk  to  me  until  morning.  And  during  the 
whole  time  I  remained  quiet,  and  listened  attentively ; 
but  I  saw  what  I  had  not  yet  noticed :  that  my  incom- 
parable bride  had  a  mole  in  the  middle  of  her  left  cheek, 
and  I  also  discovered  that  she  might  be  alarmingly 
loquacious  if  she  chose.  I  could  hardly  wait  until  the 
sun  rose.  Nothing  will  so  effectually  sober  a  man  as 
advice  from  his  wife;  and  the  remedy  is  frequently 
made  use  of  in  India  as  well  as  in  Europe. 

A  true  Indian  Singh — that  is  what  a  nobleman  is 
called  out  there — undertakes  nothing  without  first  con- 
sulting his  wife.  Indeed,  there  are  some  who  never 
give  an  answer  to  a  question  until  they  have  asked 
their  wives  what  they  shall  reply.  For  instance  you 


258  TOLD  BY  7 HE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

ask :  "What  sort  of  weather  are  we  going  to  have  this 
afternoon,  Gholem  Singh?" 

"I  will  consult  my  wife  and  tell  you,"  he  answers. 

In  the  afternoon  he  will  say  to  you — and  no  matter 
if  a  deluge  of  rain  begins  to  fall  while  he  is  speaking : 

"We  shall  have  fine  weather  this  afternoon." 

The  following  day  my  bride  and  I  set  out  on  a  tour  of 
our  kingdom — a  ceremony  necessary  to  my  installation 
as  rajah. 

An  entire  brigade  on  horses,  elephants,  and  camels, 
accompanied  us  as  escort.  The  Begum  and  I  rode  on 
separate  elephants,  as  Indian  etiquette  does  not  permit 
man  and  wife  to  occupy  the  same  "sovari" — that  is 
what  the  sedan  with  a  canopy  on  the  back  of  an  ele- 
phant is  called. 

The  Begum  travelled  with  the  vanguard ;  I  brought 
up  the  rear  with  a  good  cannon  bound  to  the  back  of 
my  beast.  A  cannon,  by  the  way,  is  a  very  convenient 
travelling  appendage  to  a  journey  in  India,  as  one  is 
frequently  called  on  to  give  a  warm  reception  to  the 
legions  of  predatory  bands  which  infest  the  highways 
and  byways. 

My  bride  and  I  met  only  when  our  elephants 
chanced  to  come  alongside  each  other  at  the  resting 
places.  We  took  part  in  all  sorts  of  festivities.  We 
bore  with  patience  the  wearisome  ceremonies  attendant 
upon  the  adoration  of  the  serpent,  and  Taku-worship ; 
we  even  waded  to  our  knees  in  the  sacred  waters  of  the 
Ganges,  at  the  Moharam  pilgrimage ;  and  permitted  the 
frantic  Gusseins  and  fakirs  at  the  Holiza  feast  to 
shower  over  us  the  red  dust  of  the  highway.  At  the 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  259 

Ganeza  festival  we  distributed  with  our  own  hands  the 
"muzzer,"  and  received  in  return  the  "khilla" — each 
word  means  gifts ;  the  former  is  bestowed  by  the  sov- 
ereigns on  their  subjects;  the  latter  are  given  by  the 
subjects  to  their  rulers.  Without  this  exchange  of 
presents,  the  sovereignty  of  the  rulers  would  not  be 
recognized  by  the  people.  We  visited  in  their  turn  all 
the  principal  towns  and  cities ;  the  god-burdened  tem- 
ples and  pagodas,  which  are  half  church,  half  tomb — 
the  Jaina  animal  hospital,  where  the  Hindoo  takes  care 
of  invalid  dogs,  cats,  oxen,  as  well  as  crows,  ravens, 
and  turkeys.  We  also  honored  with  our  presence  the 
bayadere  communities,  where  only  women  dwell.  These 
bayaderes  are  privileged  characters,  you  must  know; 
they  are  allowed  entry  to  the  emperor's  presence,  to 
dance  and  sing  before  him  and  his  ministers. 

"Not  a  bad  custom,  by  jove !"  muttered  the  prince ; 
aloud  he  asked :  "Are  the  bayaderes  pretty?" 

"Enchantingly  beautiful,  your  highness.  Their  gar- 
ments are  of  silk  and  cashmere,  embroidered  with  real 
gold  and  pearls ;  their  ringers  and  toes  are  loaded  with 
rings  set  with  precious  gems.  Their  gowns  show  a 
lack  of  material  as  do  those  worn  by  our  women,  with 
this  difference:  the  shoulders  and  bosoms  of  our 
women  are  left  bare;  while  the  bayaderes  expose  the 
lower  extremities,  sometimes  even  to  the — " 

"Stop !  stop  1"  irritably  called  the  chair.  "We  don't 
want  a  full  description  of  heathen  toilets !" 

We  also  arranged,  for  the  entertainment  of  our  sub- 
jects, a  number  of  gorgeous  spectacles,  and  tourna- 
ments, resumed  the  prisoner,  dropping  the  subject  of 


260  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

bayadere  fashions.  There  were  combats  between  ele- 
phants, and  combats  between  elephants  and  men.  (The 
former  are  called  "Mufti;"  the  latter  "Satmari.") 
There  were  also  combats  between  lions  and  boars,  and 
between  tapirs. 

In  return  for  all  these  festivities,,  my  bride's  relatives 
entertained  us  with  a  feast  of  lanterns;  and  games  of 
chess,  which  were  played  with  living  chess-men.  We 
also  visited  the  most  remote  corners  of  our  kingdom, 
where  dwelt  the  Thugs,  a  community  whose  faith  per- 
mits them  to  strangle  all  foreigners;  the  Bheels,  who 
worship  epidemics  instead  of  gods;  the  colony  of  the 
Quadrumans,  whose  king  is  called  "Dengue,"  and  his 
subjects  "apes." 

Every  day  of  our  journey  brought  something  new 
and  interesting.  After  our  visit  to  the  "City  of  the 
Seven  Sages"  we  went  to  the  "City  of  the  King's 
Tombs,"  where  are  four  magnificent  temples,  under 
each  of  which  rest  the  remains  of  a  king.  There  are 
no  other  inhabitants  in  this  city. 

Then  followed  the  pilgrimage  to  Buddha's  tree ;  for, 
although  we  were  adherents  of  the  Sivan  faith,  we  were 
obliged,  in  order  to  win  the  favor  of  the  majority  of  our 
subjects,  to  pay  deference  to  their  deity. 

Then  we  journeyed  to  the  "Fountain  of  Wisdom." 
There  the  temple  is  guarded  by  bayaderes,  who  are  not 
permitted  to  dance  anywhere  else  but  in  the  sacred 
edifice  in  adoration  of  the  gods. 

"A  respectable  temple,  I  must  say !"  ironically  com- 
mented the  chair,  to  which  the  prince  appended  his 
good-humored  observation : 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  261 

"Their  liturgy  can't  be  very  tedious !" 

During  all  this  time,  I  saw  my  bride  only  when  she 
was  seated  on  a  throne,  on  an  elephant,  or  in  a  palan- 
quin. The  opportunities  for  an  exchange  of  words 
were  rare.  On  the  one  hundred  and  tenth  day  we  set 
out  on  our  return  home.  On  the  morning  of  that  day, 
Zeib  Alnissa  sent  me  a  letter  in  which  she  gave  me  the 
welcome  news  that  -  what  might  be  called  our  "St. 
Joseph's  marriage"  would  soon  come  to  a  conclusion. 
The  carrier  dove  had  returned  from  Holland  with  the 
longed-for  consent  from  my  first  wife. 

Before  leaving  our  capital,  we  had  arranged  for  a 
fitting  reception  to  greet  our  return.  When  our 
cavalcade  should  approach  the  city  gates,  all  the  most 
distinguished  residents,  the  raos,  the  singhs,  the  sages, 
bonzes  and  holy  men  were  to  meet  us  at  the  head  of  a 
gorgeous  pageant  and  greet  me  as  "Rajah,"  to  which 
title  our  tour  would  have  given  me  the  right. 

Then  would  follow  a  splendid  feast,  that  would  con- 
clude with  the  "utterpan"  ceremony,  in  which  every 
guest  receives  from  the  rajah's  own  hands  a  handker- 
chief perfumed  with  rose-water. 

The  rajah  receives  the  utterpan  from  his  wife,  of 
whom  he  may  demand  that  the  rose-water  perfuming 
be  performed  in  the  zenana. 

The  zenana  is  that  portion  of  the  palace  which  only 
the  rajah  and  his  wives  may  enter. 

I  am  ashamed  to  confess  it,  honorable  gentlemen  of 
the  court,  but  I  was  so  rejoiced,  so  proud  of  my 
success,  my  extraordinary  good  fortune  filled  my  soul 
to  such  a  degree,  that  I  never  once  thought  to  offer  a 


262  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

prayer  to  the  god  Siva,  who  had  bestowed  all  the  good 
gifts  on  me,  or  to  Jehovah,  who  could  take  them  all 
from  me. 

The  fakir,  who,  in  his  religious  enthusiasm,  carries 
on  his  head  a  pot  of  earth  until  the  orange  seed  planted 
in  it  sprouts,  grows  to  a  tree,  blooms  and  bears  fruit ; 
who  binds  himself  to  a  post,  that  he  may  sleep  stand- 
ing so  as  not  to  lose  his  balance  and  drop  the  pot  from 
his  head — that  fakir  does  not  suffer  half  as  much  as  did 
I  those  one  hundred  and  ten  days  and  nights,  when  I 
was  forced  to  refrain  from  saying  to  the  most  beautiful 
of  women :  "O,  thou  my  sweetest  one !" 

But  the  last  day  of  such  restraint  and  torture  was  at 
hand.  Before  us  lay  the  capital ;  the  gilded  roofs  of  its 
palaces  gleamed  through  the  humid  atmosphere. 

Already  I  could  see  rising  from  the  market-place  the 
"baoli,"  under  which  the  three-legged  stone  cow  waited 
(as  all  believers  know)  for  the  hour  of  midnight  to 
hobble  to  her  pasture  outside  the  walls.  Already  I  saw 
the  multitude  in  gala  attire  press  forth  from  the 
elaborately  carved  gates,  on  horses,  on  camels,  on  foot 
— a  mingling  of  gold,  gems,  beauty,  flowers,  with  rags, 
filth  and  unsightly  scars. 

Zeib  Alnissa,  as  usual,  rode  at  the  head  of  the  caval- 
cade, and  I  at  the  end,  separated  from  her  by  a  cannon 
shot  range. 

When  the  multitude  from  the  city  met  the  head  of 
our  cavalcade,  there  ensued  a  tumult  of  shouts  and 
cries,  but  I  was  too  far  away  to  distinguish  what  was 
occurring.  I  could  see,  though,  that  Zeib  Alnissa  had 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  263 

risen  to  her  feet  in  the  sovari,  and  was  gesticulating 
excitedly. 

I  was  deliberating  whether  I  should  ride  forward  or 
remain  where  I  was,  when  a  fakir  forced  his  way  to  my 
side.  He  was  the  most  hideous  specimen  of  his  class  I 
had  yet  seen;  his  appearance  indicated  that  he  had 
vowed  not  to  cut  his  hair  nor  his  ringer  nails  for  a 
decade. 

"What  do  you  want?"  I  called  down  to  him. 

"I  want  you  to  let  me  come  up  there  and  sit  beside 
you  in  the  sovari,"  he  made  answer. 

One  is  obliged  to  comply  with  any  demand  these 
holy  men  may  see  fit  to  make — especially  in  face  of 
such  a  multitude.  I  leaned  over  the  side  of  my  beast, 
seized  the  fakir  by  the  hair,  and  drew  him  into  the 
sovari. 

"Lucky  for  you  that  you  granted  my  request,"  he 
said,  when  he  was  seated  by  my  side.  "You  have  saved 
your  life  by  so  doing,  Know  that  a  revolt  broke  out  in 
the  city  during  your  absence.  The  conspirators  de- 
clared that  the  Begum  forfeited  the  throne  by  marrying 
you,  and  have  proclaimed  the  valiant  Singh  Rais,  the 
son  of  her  first  husband,  Sumro  Shah,  rajah  of  Sard- 
hana.  He  has  taken  possession  of  the  city  and  bribed 
the  army  to  support  him.  He  has  already  executed  the 
subjects  who  remained  loyal  to  you  and  the  Begum, 
and  the  same  fate  awaits  you — if  he  captures  you." 

Though  loath  to  believe  the  fanatic's  ill  tidings,  I  was 
forced  to  credit  my  eyes,  which  at  that  moment  saw 
rude  hands  lay  hold  of  my  beloved  Zeib  Alnissa,  tear 
her  trom  the  sovari,  bind  her  hands,  and,  amid  the 


264  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

taunts  and  sneers  of  the  shameless  nautchnees,  compel 
her  to  walk  to  the  gates,  while  a  man,  wearing  the 
pearl-decorated  hat  of  a  sovereign,  climbed  to  the 
vacated  seat  in  the  sovari. 

It  was  the  infamous  profligate  who,  by  reason  of  the 
honors  to  which  his  father  had  attained,  was  a  prince, 
but  who  was,  by  birth,  merely  a  German  nobody,  like 
myself. 

He  had  deposed  the  Begum  as  he  had  threatened, 
had  laid  chains  on  her — the  heroic  deliverer  of  her 
people — and  this  he  had  been  able  to  accomplish  be- 
cause he  had  become  an  adherent  of  the  religion  of 
Buddha,  and  because  the  Begum  had  become  a  wor- 
shipper of  Siva — - 

"The  like  of  that  never  could  have  happened  in 
Europe,"  interpolated  the  prince. 

My  rage  and  fury  were  boundless.  In  one  brief 
moment  to  lose  my  kingdom  and  my  bride;  to  be 
robbed  of  power  and  love ;  to  be  forced  to  look  on  help- 
less while  a  cowardly  knave  stole  my  treasures,  chief  of 
which  was  my  beautiful  Zeib  Alnissa ! 

It  was  more  than  Christian  patience  and  Siva  humil- 
ity could  endure. 

I  unstrapped  the  cannon  at  the  back  of  the  sovari. 
The  new  rajah  was  haranguing  the  crowd  gathered 
about  his  elephant,  and  gesticulating  rapidly  with  his 
hands,  as  he  gave  his  orders. 

I  took  aim  at  his  majesty — Boom !    The  next  instant 
there  was  no  head  on  the  rajah's  shoulders,  but  his 
arms  continued  to  move  convulsively. 
.  Then  I  turned  my  elephant's  head  in  the  opposite 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  265 

direction,  and  urged  him  to  the  swiftest  gait  he  was 
able  to  go. 

A  troop  of  horsemen  followed  me,  but  I  dashed  into 
the  jungle,  and  soon  distanced  my  pursuers.  My  life 
was  saved,  but  only  my  miserable  life.  I  had  nothing, 
was  nothing — 

"Oh,  yes,"  interrupted  the  chair,  "you  were  a  good 
deal :  the  husband  of  two  wives,,  and  murderer  of  one 
king-" 

"Minorem  nego,  majorem  -non  concedo,"  interposed 
the  prince.  "As  the  prisoner's  second  marriage  was — 
as  he  aptly  described  it :  a  St.  Joseph's  union — merely 
one  of  form,  he  cannot  be  said  to  have  committed 
bigamy.  And  concerning  the  killing  of  the  rajah — qui 
bene  distinguit,  bene  docet\ — we  would  understand 
thereby  that  a  crime  had  been  committed  by  a  subject 
against  a  crowned  head.  But,  if  one  king  kills  another 
one,  it  cannot  be  called  regicide,  but  ordinary  homi- 
cide, which,  in  the  prisoner's  case,  was  justifiable 
manslaughter — " 

"I  knew  it !"  exclaimed  the  chair.  "I  knew  the  rascal 
would  talk  himself  out  of  the  three  capital  crimes: 
idolatry,  bigamy,  regicide,  and  prove  himself  as  inno- 
cent as  St.  Susanna !" 

But,  continued  the  prisoner,  even  had  I  not  been 
robbed  of  my  wealth,  of  what  use  would  it  have  been 
to  me?  I  had  come  to  India  to  win  the  rank  of  captain 
— not  to  become  a  rajah.  It  is  a  deal  better  to  be  a 
pensioned  captain  than  a  deposed  king.  The  new 
rajah  of  Sardhana  set  a  large  price  on  my  head ;  had  I 
fled  the  accursed  country  then,  I  should  have  spared 


266  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

myself  the  terrible  misfortunes  which  overtook  me 
later. 

I  joined  the  Bandasaris,  who  have  no  fixed  residence, 
but  rove  continuously  between  the  Ganges  and  the 
Indus.  They  are  a  race  like  our  gypsies.  I  believed 
I  might  organize  them  into  an  army  and  win  back  my 
kingdom,  and  liberate  my  beautiful  Zeib  Alnissa,  but 
the  blessing  of  God  did  not  rest  on  my  undertaking. 

When  I  had  got  my  army  ready  to  march  to  Sard- 
hana,  the  chief  of  the  tribe  changed  his  mind  about 
letting  me  use  his  people  to  win  back  my  throne,  and, 
instead,  sold  me  to  the  English  company,  which  cor- 
poration had  also  offered  a  price  for  my  head.  Thus 
my  unfortunate  cranium  became  the  property  of  the 
powerful  East  India  Company,  and  there,  if  nowhere 
else,  a  man  learns  how  to  pray. 


PART   IX. 


ON  THE  HIGH  SEAS. 

CHAPTER  I. 
THE  PIRATES. 

The  English  did  not  think  me  of  sufficient  conse- 
quence to  suspend  me  in  an  iron  cage  over  the  croco- 
dile pool.  This  honor  was  reserved  for  the  native 
shahs  and  rajahs. 

I  was  transported,  with  scant  ceremony,  to  Bombay, 
from  which  city  I  was  shipped  to  sea,  together  with 
fifty  other  prisoners,  who,  like  myself,  had  come  to 
India  to  seek  their  fortunes,  and  whose  chief  crime  was 
their  nationality.  They  were  natives  of  France,  Hol- 
land, Germany  and  Spain,  and  the  East  India  Com- 
pany believed  it  had  a  right  to  arrest  them  and  ship 
them  in  a  body  to  New  Caledonia. 

Now,  honorable  gentlemen  of  the  court,  I  beg  you 
to  tell  me  which  was  the  pirate? — I,  in  the  unseaworthy 
cutter,  bound  with  chains  to  a  Spaniard,  perspiring 
over  my  oars,  sailing  to  New  Zealand  instead  of  to 
New  Caledonia,  where  the  captain  had  been  ordered 

(267) 


268  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

to  take  us ;  having  nothing  to  eat  and  drink  but  dried 
fish  and  stale  water,  the  captain  having  again  disobeyed 
orders,  for  the  East  India  Company  had  shipped  honest 
biscuit,  smoked  meat  and  brandy  for  the  prisoner's 
food — which  of  us,  I  ask,  was  the  pirate?  the  captain, 
who  plundered  the  helpless  prisoners  in  his  power  and 
broke  the  maritime  laws — which,  I  ask,  was  the  pirate ; 
Captain  Morder  or  I? 

"I  say  Captain  Morder  was  the  pirate — "  and  the 
prince  emphasized  his  reply  by  thumping  the  floor  with 
his  cane. 

Many  thanks,  your  highness;  I  wanted  the  ques- 
tion decided,  for,  against  unauthorized  force,  self- 
defence  is  always  justifiable.  When  we  poor  exiles 
became  aware  that  our  vessel  was  going  farther  and 
farther  south,  which  we  were  able  to  judge  from  the 
stars ;  when,  in  consequence  of  the  wretched  food,  the 
scurvy  broke  out  among  us ;  and  when  at  last  we  also 
got  a  taste  of  the  scourge,  if  we  made  any  complaint, 
we  conspired  together  to  release  ourselves  from  our 
chains ;  and  to  take  possession  of  the  cutter. 

My  hidalgo  comrade  was  an  expert  in  such  matters. 
He  showed  us  how  to  get  rid  of  our  manacles  as  easily 
as  if  they  had  been  gloves  or  boots.  It  is  a  very  pretty 
trick,  but  I  don't  think  I  could  show  you  how  it  is  done 
unless  I  received  something  in  return — 

"We  don't  want  to  learn  the  trick,"  interrupted  the 
chair.  "We  have  no  use  for  it." 

Well,  after  we  had  removed  our  fetters,  we  bound 
the  sleeping  crew,  and,  without  shedding  one  drop  of 
blood,  made  ourselves  masters  of  the  "Alcyona." 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  269 

Now,  honorable  gentlemen  of  the  court,  I  ask  you : 
Can  what  we  did  be  called  mutiny?  We  were  not  the 
slaves  of  the  East  India  Company ;  we  were  not  pris- 
oners of  war ;  nor  were  we  criminals.  The  captain  had 
no  right  to  chain  us  to  the  oars ;  we  had  done  nothing 
to  deserve  deportation  to  a  savage  country. 

On  Captain  Morder,  however,  rested  most  of  the 
blame.  He  treated  us  free  men  like  negro  slaves;  he 
gave  us  nothing  to  eat  for  a  whole  week  but  dried 
fish,  though  not  all  of  us  were  papists ;  and  to  be  more 
disagreeably  contrary,  he  gave  us  smoked  meat  on  Fri- 
days because  the  majority  of  our  crowd  were  Catholics. 

"That  rascally  captain  deserved  to  be  hanged  to  the 
tallest  mast  on  his  ship !"  exclaimed  the  justly  indig- 
nant prince. 

Yes,  your  highness,  he  did,  but  we  didn't  hang  him, 
because  we  couldn't  get  hold  of  him.  While  we  were 
securing  the  crew,  he  fled  discreetly  to  the  powder- 
room,  and  threatened  to  blow  up  the  ship  when  we 
went  to  take  him.  We  had  to  treat  with  him  for  terms. 
We  assured  him  we  did  not  want  to  injure  him ;  we 
only  wanted  to  leave  his  ship.  To  this  he  replied  that 
we  might  go  to  the  devil  for  all  he  cared. 

Then  followed  a  twenty-four  hour  truce,  and  our 

first  business  was — 

it 

"To  eat  your  fill,"  interposed  the  chair. 

Yes,  your  honor,  to  eat  and  drink  all  we  wanted. 
Then  we  lowered  the  large  boat,  supplied  it  with  mast 
and  sails ;  loaded  it  with  all  the  chests  of  biscuit,  and 
casks  of  brandy  it  would  hold,  also  a  small  cannon. 


270  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

Then  we  cut  into  bits  the  rigging  of  the  cutter ;  threw 
overboard  all  the  weapons  we  could  find,  in  order  that 
the  captain  could  do  us  no  injury  in  case  he  took  it 
into  his  head  to  pursue  us;  took  possession  of  his 
charts,  compass,  and  telescope,  and  sailed  away  one 
beautiful  moonlight  night  without  saying  goodbye  to 
any  one.  How  did  Captain  Morder  reach  home  with 
the  "Alcyona?"  I  really  forget  whether  I  ever  heard. 

There  were  fifty  of  us  in  the  boat — five  different 
nationalities.  As  I  was  the  only  one  who  could  speak 
the  five  different  languages,  I  was  elected  ship's  patron, 
an  office  which  differs  from  that  of  captain  in  that  the 
latter  commands  every  one  on  board  a  vessel,  while  the 
former  carries  out  what  his  companions  decide. 

"I  see  plainly  to  what  this  subtle  distinction  will 
lead,"  dryly  observed  the  chair.  "Some  one  else  will 
have  to  bear  the  blame  for  whatever  misdeeds  the 
'ship's-patron'  committed." 

I  am  compelled  to  admire  the  honorable  gentle- 
man's keen  perceptions,  returned  the  prisoner  in  his 
most  deferential  manner.  In  this  case,  however,  they 
are  at  fault ;  neither  the  ship's  company  nor  its  patron 
did  anything  which  deservtd  yard-arm  punishment. 

Our  intention,  when  we  left  the  ship  was  to  land  in 
Florida,  or  the  Philippines,  and  there  found  a  new 
republic.  But  more  than  one  unlooked-for  hindrance 
prevented  us  from  carrying  out  the  plan.  Hardly  had 
the  "Alcyona"  disappeared  from  view,  when  a  dead 
calm  settled  down  on  us ;  it  was  so  still  the  sails  hung 
in  heavy  folds  from  the  yards ;  we  could  make  progress, 
and  that  only  very  slowly,  when  we  employed  the  oars. 


TOLD  BY  I  HE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  271 

The  calm  continued  for  two  days,  during  which  not 
a  breath  of  air  wrinkled  the  surface  of  the  ocean. 

"Didn't  you  say  you  had  taken  all  the  provisions  on 
the  ship?''  inquired  the  chair. 

"Yes,  your  honor,  but  'all'  was  only  the  one-half  of 
'many,'  and  exactly  the  one-tenth  of  'enough/  Even 
had  there  been  'many,'  we  had  'more'  hungry  mouths, 
and  to  take  plus  from  minus  is  not  permissable  in 
Algorithm." 

"And  it  can't  be  done,"  authoritatively  interposed  the 
prince.  "You  can't  take  eight  from  seven  unless  you 
borrow.  From  whom  did  you  borrow,  prisoner?" 

"From  a  crab-fisher  we  met,  your  highness.  "Dur- 
ing a  calm,  the  large  sea-crabs  are  more  easily  taken 
than  at  other  times." 

The  honorable  gentlemen  of  the  court  will  have 
learned  from  natural  history  the  peculiar  characteris- 
tics of  the  sea-crab,  which  is  of  all  living  creatures — 
the  human  being  not  excepted — the  most  timorous. 
When  a  crab  hears  thunder  or  cannonading,  he  imme- 
diately flings  off  one  of  his  huge  claws,  in  order  that 
he  may  escape  more  quickly. 

Crab-fishers  know  this,  and  have  made  a  compact 
with  all  warships,  by  which  the  latter  have  agreed  to 
refrain  from  firing  off  cannon  when  in  sight  of  a  crab- 
bing vessel.  This  is  the  reason  all  such  vessels  have  a 
large  red  crab  painted  on  their  sails.  The  compact  also 
obliges  the  fishers  to  deliver  half  of  their  catch  to  any 
warship  they  may  meet  on  the  high  seas. 

Consequently  when  we  came  in  sight  of  the  crabber 
we  signalled  for  our  share  of  his  catch.  We  had 


272  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

eaten  all  our  dried  fish,  and  were  on  half-rations  of 
biscuit. 

"Oho !"  called  the  fisher  when  he  came  near  enough 
to  distinguish  the  character  of  our  craft.  "How  can 
you  demand  crabs  of  me?  You  aren't  a  warship." 

"But  we  are  hungry,  and  have  a  cannon  on  board. 
You  know  the  result  of  a  cannon-shot  during  a  calm !" 

This  threat  brought  the  argument  to  a  conclusion; 
the  crabber,  according  to  seaman's  custom,  shared  his 
catch  with  us. 

"If,"  interposed  the  prince  in  a  thoughtful  manner ; 
"If  it  was  according  to  seaman's  custom  it  cannot  be 
termed  'piracy.' ': 

"No,  certainly  not!"  ironically  appended  the  chair. 
"It  cannot  be  termed  piracy — only  an  act  of  playful- 
ness— a  bit  of  frolic  !  But,  let  us  hear  what  other  pranks 
the  band  of  fifty  played  with  their  cannon?  I  will 
spread  the  map  here  on  the  table,  so  that  I  may  follow 
the  course  of  your  boat.  I  fancy  I  shall  be  able  to  tell 
from  that  whether  you  and  your  fellows  comported 
yourselves  as  honest  seamen  or  thievish  pirates." 

There  was  an  almost  imperceptible  twitch  of  the 
prisoner's  left  eyelid  when  the  mayor  concluded  his 
remark,  and  spread  the  map  on  the  table  in  front  of 
him. 

In  the  neighborhood  of  the  Marquesas  Islands, 
honorable  gentlemen,  we  fell  in  with  a  Spanish  ship 
loaded  with  coffee.  The  captain,  in  response  to  our 
petition,  supplied  us  with  coffee,  chocolate,  and  honey. 
This  enabled  us  to  continue  our  journey;  we  sailed 
toward  the  Aleutians,  and  met  on  our  way  a  Russian 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  273 

merchantman,  the  owner  of  which  took  pity  on  us,  and 
gave  us  several  barrels  of  good  brandy  and  salted  fish. 

When  we  were  near  the  island  of  Yucatan  our  pro- 
visions again  gave  out,  and  we  were  compelled  to  bor- 
row from  an  Italian  trader  some  sago-palm,  flour  and 
several  boxes  of  sultanas. 

"What  need  had  you  of  sultanas?"  inquired  the  chair. 

Sultanas  are  not  women,  your  honor,  but  dried 
grapes,  which  are  packed  in  boxes.  When  a  man  is 
starving  he  will  eat  anything !  In  the  neighborhood  of 
Barbados  a  Turkish  vessel  very  kindly  gave  us  a  supply 
of  pickled  pork;  and  the  captain  of  a  Chinese  junk  we 
fell  in  with  near  the  Canary  Islands,  was  friendly 
enough  to  share  his  wine  with  us. 

When  off  Madagascar,  a  Greek  captain  loaded  our 
boat  so  generously  with  rahut  rakum,  it  almost  foun- 
dered under  the  weight;  and  when  near  Terre  del 
Fuego  we — 

"Hold!  stop!"  screamed  the  chair  thumping  with 
both  fists  on  the  map.  "If  I  wanted  to  make  an 
accurate  diagram  of  your  course,  I  should  have  to  tie 
a  thread  to  the  leg  of  a  grasshopper  and  let  him  loose 
on  a  blank  sheet  of  paper !  A  courier  on  horseback 
could  not  have  made  such  twists  and  turns !" 

"We  did  travel  in  a  sort  of  zig-zag  fashion,"  admit- 
ted the  prisoner  deprecatingly ;  "but,  you  see,  none  of 
us  understood  navigation.  Besides,  our  charts  were 
not  accurate,  and  our  compass  full  of  whims." 

"Must  have  been  a  feminine  compass !"  jocosely 
remarked  his  highness. 

"To  tell  the  truth,  honorable  gentlemen,  I  am  not 


274  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

quite  certain  if  the  names  I  have  given  you  are  the 
ones  properly  belonging  to  the  portions  of  the  globe 
we  visited.  The  excellent  custom  which  obtains  in  all 
civilized  regions,  of  posting  the  names  of  places  at  the 
street-corners,  had  not  yet  reached  those  remote  cor- 
ners. I  can  assure  you,  however,  that  we  really  met 
all  the  ships  I  have  mentioned,  as  we  were  forced  to 
beg  our  way  over  the  limitless  ocean." 

"Beg  your  way !"  sarcastically  interrupted  the  chair. 
"It  seems  to  me  that  fifty  determined  men,  with  small 
arms  and  a  cannon,  and  a  boat  as  swift  as  yours  might 
have  overtaken  almost  any  other  craft  afloat." 

"We  did  overtake  a  good  many,  your  honor,  and  all 
of  them  very  willingly  shared  their  provisions  with  us 
when  they  saw  we  were  in  distress." 

"Do  you  remember  meeting  a  merchantman  from 
Bremen?" 

"Don't  I?  Don't  I  remember  the  generous  gentle- 
man !  We  met  him  near  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope.  That 
point  of  land  hasn't  got  its  name  for  nothing!  It 
brought  'good  hope'  back  to  us  !  We  were  in  tatters ; 
the  stormy  weather ;  long  voyage ;  and  many  hardships 
had  reduced  our  frames  to  skeletons,  our  clothing  to 
rags.  When  the  brave  man — blessed  be  his  memory ! 
— came  up  with  us,  and  saw  our  nakedness,  he  took  off 
his  own  coat  and  gave  it  to  me — may  heaven's  bless- 
ings rest  on  him  wherever  he  may  be !" 

"He  tells  quite  a  different  story,"  responded  the 
chair.  "On  his  return  home,  he  complained  to  the 
Hansa  League  that  a  boat  load  of  pirates  was  sailing 
the  high-seas,  plundering,  and  levying  contributions, 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  275 

from  all  vessels  it  met.  He  also  related  how  the  pirates 
had  taken  all  his,  as  well  as  his  crew's  clothing.  This 
must  be  true;  for  no  Bremen  trader  has  ever  been 
known  willingly  to  give  coat  of  his  to  anyone.  Bremen 
is  not  far  away.  We  can  summon  the  complainant — 
whose  name,  I  believe,  is  Schulze — and  let  him  tell  his 
story  here — " 

"May  I  beg  that  your  honor" — quickly  interposed 
the  prisoner — "will  at  the  same  time  summon  the  wit- 
nesses who  will  testify  for  me?  They  are,  the  Spanish 
merchant  Don  Rodriguez  di  Saldayeni,  from  Badajos ; 
the  Russian  captain,  Bello  Bratanow  Zwonimir  Tschi- 
nowink,  from  Kamtschatka ;  the  Italian,  Signer  Spara- 
fucile  Odoards,  from  Palermo ;  the  Turk,  AH  Baba  Ben 
Didimi  Effendi,  from  Brusa;  the  Chinese  mandarin, 
Chien-Tsen-Triping-Van,  from  Shanghai;  the  Greek, 
Heros  Leonidas  Karaiskakis,  from  Tricala ;  the — " 

"Enough !  enough !"  roared  the  mayor  clapping  his 
hands  to  his  ears.  "I  don't  want  to  hear  another  name. 
Rather  will  I  believe  every  word  you  say !  You  were 
sea-beggars,  impoverished  voyagers — anything  but 
pirates!  Will  your  highness  permit  us  to  erase  also 
this  indictment  from  the  register?"  The  prince  assent- 
ing, his  honor  added:  "Now  we  will  hear  how  the 
crime  of  cannibalism  will  be  disposed  of." 

"I  will  first  take  the  liberty  to  remind  the  honorable 
gentlemen  of  the  court,  that  anthropophagy  is  not  at 
all  times  considered  a  capital  crime.  The  inhabitants 
of  the  Fiji  Islands  look  upon  it  as  the  only  proper 
method  to  dispose  of  a  captured  foe.  The  eating  of 
human  flesh  is  a  part  of  the  religious  cult  of  the  Mexi- 


276  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

cans ;  and  during  the  Tartar  invasion  of  Hungary,  the 
people — as  Rogerius  proves — who  had  been  robbed  of 
the  necessaries  of  life,  were  forced  to  eat  each  other. 
To  such  a  condition  of  starvation  we  were  also  reduced, 
a  fearful  hurricane  having  compelled  us,  while  on  the 
Pacific  ocean,  to  throw  overboard  all  our  stores  in 
order  to  prevent  the  boat  from  sinking — " 

"Now  you  are  telling  another  story-/'  thundered  the 
chair.  "You  say  you  were  on  the  Pacific  ocean.  If  it 
is  a  pacific  ocean  how  is  it  posible  that  such  a  storm 
as  you  describe  raged  there?  You  shall  be  bound  to 
the  wheel,  if  you  don't  confess  at  once  that  hurricanes 
never  rage  on  the  Pacific  Ocean." 

Your  honor  is  right — my  memory  served  me  ill — 
there  are  no  such  storms  on  the  Pacific  Ocean.  But 
there  are  sharks.  The  voracious  beasts  surrounded  our 
boat  in  such  numbers  that,  in  order  to  prevent  them 
from  eating  us,  we  gave  them  all  our  provisions,  hop- 
ing to  fall  in  with  a  kind-hearted  captain  who  would 
replenish  our  larder.  But  we  didn't  meet  a  single 
ship.  For  two  whole  weeks  we  managed  to  keep  alive 
by  eating  our  boots,  and  not  until  the  last  pair  had 
been  devoured,  did  we  decide  to  resort  to  the  "sailor's 
lunch/'  and  cast  lots  which  of  us  should  be  served  up 
as  such. 

My  name  was  drawn,  and  I  made  up  my  mind  to  die 
calmly — pro  bono  publics.  But,  when  I  began  to 
remove  my  clothes,  the  Spaniard  to  whom  I  had  been 
chained  on  the  "Alcyona,"  and  for  whom  I  entertained 
the  affection  of  a  brother,  stepped  forward  and  said : 

"You  shall  not  die,  brave  rajah.    You  have  a  wife — 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  277 

nay,  two  of  them,  to  whom  your  life  is  valuable.  Here 
am  I — your  brother,  who  will  consider  it  a  privilege,  an 
honor — as  did  the  brave  Curtius  when  he  galloped  into 
the  abyss  to  save  the  republic — to  fling  myself  into 
these  hungry  throats !" 

With  these  words  the  noble  fellow  drew  his  sword, 
severed  his  head  from  his  body  and  laid  it  before  us. 

"Did  you  eat  any  of  him?" 

"I  was  starving,  your  honor." 

"That  establishes  your  crime.  The  punishment  for 
eating  a  body  endowed  with  a  human  soul  is  death 
at  the  stake,  you — " 

"Hold,"  interposed  the  prince.  "What  portion  of 
the  Spaniard's  body  did  you  consume,  prisoner?" 

"His  foot,  your  highness." 

"Has  the  human  foot  a  soul?" 

"Why,  certainly,"  answered  the  chair.  "How  fre- 
quently do  we  hear :  'His  sense  or  his  courage  are  in 
his  knees' — sense  and  courage  cannot  exist  without  a 
soul.  And,  don't  we  say :  'Honest  from  his  crown  to 
his  toes' — whereby  we  establish  that  even  the  toes 
possess  a  soul/  ': 

"These  are  merely  phrases — maxims/'  returned  the 
prince.  "If  the  soul  extends  to  the  extremities,  then 
the  man  who  has  a  foot  amputated  loses  a  portion  of 
his  soul  also ;  and  it  might  happen,  that  one-quarter 
of  a  human  soul  would  go  to  paradise,  and  the  other 
three-quarters  to  hades — which  it  is  absurd  to  suppose 
could  be  the  case.  To  my  thinking  this  is  so  important 
a  question,  that  only  the  faculty  of  theology  is  capable 
of  deciding  it.  Until  those  learned  gentlemen  have 


278  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

delivered  an  opinion  on  the  subject,  we  cannot  go  on 
with  this  case.  Therefore,  the  prisoner  is  remanded 
to  his  cell  until  such  decision  shall  arrive." 

A  week  was  the  time  required  by  the  learned  faculty 
to  discuss  the  questions :  "Does  the  soul  extend  to  the 
extremities  of  the  human  body?" 

If  not,  just  where  does  it  terminate? 

The  decision  was  as  follows: 

"The  soul  extends  to  the  knees — for  this  reason  man 
is  required  to  kneel  when  he  prays.  Consequently,  that 
portion  of  the  human  frame  below  the  knees  is  a  soul- 
less appendage." 

"Then,"  decided  the  prince,  when  this  decision  was 
read  to  him,  "the  indictment  for  cannibalism  may  also 
be  stricken  from  the  register." 


PART    X. 


UXORICIDE. 


CHAPTER  I. 
THE  SECUNDOGENITUR. 

Although  my  crime  has  been  most  generously  con- 
doned by  your  highness,  I  have  not  escaped  punish- 
ment for  it.  I  have  suffered  severely.  After  partaking 
of  the  unnatural  food,  all  in  the  boat  were  seized  with 
frightful  convulsions,  similar  to  those  exhibited  by  a 
dog  afflicted  with  rabies. 

The  smallest  particle  of  the  accursed  food  is  sufficient 
to  make  a  man  experience  all  the  tortures  of  purga- 
tory. I  dare  say  the  reason  my  sufferings  were  not  so 
severe  as  those  of  my  comrades,  I  ate  only  the  foot. 
They  foamed  at  the  lips ;  their  eyeballs  burst  from  the 
sockets;  they  bit  each  other,  and  rent  and  tore  their 
own  flesh.  They  bellowed,  roared,  and  whined,  as  dogs 
do  at  the  moon.  Many  of  them  sprang  at  once  into  the 
water  and  were  devoured  by  sharks. 

When  my  worst  torture  passed,  my  limbs  became 
cold  and  rigid  as  stone ;  it  was  the  marasmus.  I  could 
see,  and  hear,  but  I  could  neither  feel  nor  move.  The 

(279) 


280  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

fierce  sun  beating  on  my  face  threatened  to  burn  out 
my  eyes,  but  I  could  not  lift  my  hands  to  cover  them. 
To  seize  the  horizon  and  draw  it  up  to  the  zenith  would 
have  been  an  easier  task  than  to  close  my  eyelids  over 
the  burning  eyeballs. 

Yet,  amid  all  this  horrible  pain,  I  had  the  feeling 
as  if  a  faint  zephyr  from  fluttering  wings  were  sweeping 
across  my  cheek.  It  was  the  white  dove  perched  on 
my  shoulder,  my  beautiful  white  dove,  who  was  come 
to  me  again  in  my  hour  of  direst  need !  She  tried  with 
her  outstretched  wings  to  shield  my  face  from  the 
scorching  sun,  and  the  blessed  shadow  brought  such 
relief  that  I  was  at  last  able  to  close  my  eyes  in  sleep. 

How  long  and  whither  the  dismasted  and  rudderless 
boat  drifted;  whether  it  touched  any  shore — I  cannot 
remember.  I  don't  know  what  happened  during  my 
madness. 

My  comrades  in  misfortune  were  lost ;  some  drowned 
themselves  to  end  their  agony;  some  died  a  horrible 
death  in  the  boat.  I  alone  was  saved  by  a  heavenly 
providence  for  further  trials.  The  drifting  boat  was 
found  by  an  Indian  merchantman  bound  for  Antwerp, 
and  the  noble  Christians  aboard  of  her,  believing  life 
not  yet  extinct  in  my  miserable  body,  worked  over  me 
until  they  brought  back  the  soul  to  its  earthly 
tenement. 

I  forgive  every  enemy  I  have  in  the  world ;  but  my 
benefactor  on  that  Indian  merchantman,  who  brought 
me  back  to  life,  I  never  can  forgive.  Had  he  cast  me 
into  the  waves  instead  of  resuscitating  me,  I  should 
now  be  ambergris,  for,  as  the  honorable  gentlemen 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  281 

know,  that  valuable  substance  develops  in  the  stomach 
of  a  shark,  and  I  should  have  been  devoured  by  one 
of  those  voracious  beasts.  Instead  of  a  wretched  crim- 
inal on  trial  for  his  many  misdeeds,  I  should  now,  had 
I  been  allowed  to  become  ambergris,  be  swinging  in  a 
censer  perfuming  the  altar  of  a  church.  The  care  I 
received  on  board  the  Indiaman  fully  restored  my 
strength,  and  when  we  arrived  in  the  harbor  in  Holland 
there  was  no  trace  about  me  of  the  many  hardships  I 
had  endured. 

I  could  hardly  wait  until  I  got  back  to  Nimeguen  to 
see  my  dear  wife  and  child.  The  child  would  be  run- 
ning about  now — perhaps  the  mother  had  taught  it  to 
call  me  by  name ! 

How  happy  I  should  be  to  be  home  again ! — no  cap- 
tain, no  rajah,  but  a  father. 

Not  the  consort  of  a  Begum,  but  the  husbanti  of  my 
wife.  I  blessed  the  fate  which  had  delivered  me  from 
the  land  of  lions,  tigers  and  serpents.  Had  not  I  a  tulip 
garden  worth  all  the  wealth  of  India? 

I  turned  night  to  day  in  order  to  reach  home  as 
quickly  as  possible,  and  sent  mounted  estafets  in 
advance  to  announce  my  coming.  My  wife,  who  had 
increased  in  weight  fully  twenty-five  pounds,  had  a 
splendid  repast  prepared  for  me;  and  flung  her  arms 
around  my  neck  when  I  alighted  from  the  carriage. 

After  our  first  transports  of  joy  were  over,  my  first 
words  were  : 

"Now,  where  is  my  child?" 

"There  they  come,"  replied  my  wife,  pointing,  with 
a  beaming  countenance,  toward  two  nurse-maids  who 


282  TOLD.  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

were  descending  the  staircase.  One  of  the  maids  led 
by  the  hand  a  little  toddling  lad ;  the  other  carried  an 
infant  in  long  clothes  on  her  arm. 

"What — what  does  that  mean?"  I  stammered,  point- 
ing toward  the  smaller  child. 

"That  is  your  second  born,  you  silly  fellow !"  replied 
my  wife,  smiling  affectionately. 

"My  second  born?"  I  exclaimed  in  amazement. 
"Why,  I  have  been  absent  for  nearly  three  years." 

"Have  you  forgotten  Maimuna  and  Danesh?"  she 
whispered,  hiding  her  blushing  face  on  my  breast. 
"Have  you  forgotten  our  meeting  in  the  palace  on 
Ararat?" 

"Maimuna  and  Danesh? — Himmelkreuzelementl"  I 
exclaimed,  unable  to  suppress  the  forcible  expletive. 

My  wife,  however,  was  roused  to  anger  by  it.  Did  I 
presume  to  doubt  her  fidelity?  she  demanded  in  no 
gentle  accents.  Had  she  not  in  her  possession  ample 
proof  that  she  was  true  to  me?  Had  she  not  my  own 
letter,  in  which  I  related  at  length  the  circumstances  of 
our  meeting  on  Ararat,  whither  we  had  been  taken  by 
the  two  genii?  Was  a  better  proof  required  than  the 
lingam  I  had  given  her  at  that  meeting — also  the  frag- 
ment of  stuff  with  gold  dragons  woven  in  it?  And,  if 
it  was  true  that  I  was  a  king  at  the  time  of  our  meet- 
ing on  the  mountain,  then  the  infant  on  the  maid's  arm 
must  be  a  prince ! 

"Woman/'  I  returned  in  a  severe  tone,  "this  is  not  a 
matter  for  jest.  Visions  are  not  real.  That  I  dreamed 
a  delightful  dream  I  admit ;  but  this  squalling  brat  is  no 
dream !  On  the  contrary,  he  is  a  very  disagreeable 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  283 

reality!  I'll  go  at  once  to  the  burgomaster!  I'll 
denounce  you  to  the  arch-bishop !  I'll  summon  the 
consistory!  I  will  not  allow  myself  to  be  made  a 
fool  of!" 

"Very  well,"  retorted  my  wife,  "go  to  the  burgo- 
master— go  to  the  arch-bishop — summon  the  consis- 
tory, make  a  tremendous  ado,  and  you  will  prove  your- 
self a  greater  fool  than  I  believed  you !" 

I  carried  out  my  threat  and  rushed  to  the  burgo- 
master's residence.  He  was  still  asleep,  but  I  dragged 
him  out  of  bed,  and  told  him  the  French  were  coming 
to  attack  the  town.  That  drove  slumber  from  his  eyes ; 
and  I  proceeded  to  lay  my  complaint  before  him.  He 
kept  yawning  the  while  so  dreadfully  that  I  feared  he 
might  swallow  me  before  I  got  through  with  my  story. 

When  I  concluded,  he  deliberated  several  minutes, 
then  said  I  should  come  again  the  next  day — he  would 
have  to  think  over  the  matter. 

I  was  forced  to  go  back  to  my  wife.  I  couldn't  help 
myself,  for  I  hadn't  a  groschen  to  my  name,  and  the 
Nimeguen  inns  will  not  receive  a  guest  unless  he  pays 
in  advance  for  his,  entertainment. 

To  my  shame  therefore  I  was  compelled  to  go  home, 
and  now  it  was  my  wife  who  raged  and  scolded.  She 
said  I  might  complain  as  much,  and  to  whomsoever  I 
wanted,  it  would  "benefit  me  nothing.  If  I  did  not 
accept  the  situation  with  a  good  humor,  mine  would  be 
the  loss — and  so  on. 

I  bore  her  taunts,  and  revilings,  in  silence,  for  I  felt 
great  need  of  supper  and  rest;  but  I  said  to  myself: 
"There  is  a  tomorrow — I'll  have  my  revenge  then !" 


284  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

The  next  day  I  went  again  to  the  burgo-master ;  he 
was  able  to  keep  awake  this  time. 

He  asked  me  if  be  should  speak  to  me  as  to  a  Nime- 
guen  gunner,  or  an  East  Indian  sovereign? 

"As  to  an  Indian  rajah,"  I  replied. 

"Very  good! — also:  Sublime  Maharajah,  nabob,  or 
Shah — whichever  is  the  proper  title — be  seated."  My 
title  permitted  me  to  put  on  my  hat,  while  respect  for 
it  obliged  the  burgomaster  to  remove  his  office  cap. 
He  continued :  "Be  kind  enough  to  answer  the  follow- 
ing questions :  How  many  wives  does  the  law  permit 
an  Indian  sovereign  to  marry?  How  many  elephants, 
camels,  rhinoceroses,  male  and  female  genii,  and  other 
draught  cattle,  is  he  allowed  to  employ  in  his  service?" 

I  saw  what  would  be  the  result  if  I  answered  these 
questions,  so  I  said  instead : 

"I  beg  pardon,  your  honor,  but,  on  second  thought, 
I  believe  I  would  rather  have  you  speak  to  me  as  to 
a  gunner  of  Nimeguen — according  to  European 
custom." 

"Very  good  again — also.  You  gunner-fellow,  take  off 
your  hat  this  instant!"  he  commanded,  at  the  same 
time  placing  the  cap  on  his  head.  "As  it  is  contrary  to 
our  Christian  laws  to  take  a  second  wife  while  the  first 
is  still  alive,  I  shall  pronounce  you  guilty  of  bigamy, 
the  punishment  for  which  is  the  pillory  first,  and  the 
galleys  afterward." 

This  did  not  suit  me  either,  so  I  interrupted : 

"May  I  beg  that  you  will  speak  to  me  as  to  an  Indian 
sovereign?" 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  285 

I  put  on  my  hat,  but  the  burgomaster  did  not  again 
remove  his  cap.  He  said : 

"You  had  command  of  a  province,  and  a  pair  of 
flying  genii ;  therefore,  it  is  quite  within  the  bounds 
of  possibility  that  you  and  your  first  wife  were  borne 
through  the  air  to  the  meeting-place  on  the  mountain 
you  mention.  That  being  settled,  what  else  do  you 
complain  of?  Have  you  lost  anything?" 

"No,  your  honor,  quite  the  contrary;  I  have  found 
something;  a  son  I  did  not  expect." 

"Is  the  child  living?" 

"He  is." 

"Well — if  he  is  living  he  is  alive.  That  which  is, 
cannot  be  denied — it  is  a  fact,  and  that  which  is  a  fact 
cannot  be  termed  fiction — " 

This  ridiculous  un-reasoning  angered  me,  and  I 
interrupted  him,  whereupon  there  ensued  a  war  of 
words  that  raged  furiously  until  it  culminated  in  an 
exchange  of  blows. 

The  case  was  not  one  for  a  mere  burgomaster  to 
decide ;  I  would  submit  it  to  the  consistory.  I  did  not 
know  then  what  I  had  undertaken ! 

All  Nimeguen  is  related;  its  citizens  are  cousins  or 
brothers-in-law,  and  withal  exceedingly  moral.  If  it  so 
happens  that  any  one  of  them  commits  an  indiscretion, 
all  the  rest  take  great  pains  to  conceal  the  misdeed.  I 
don't  mean  that  it  is  never  mentioned  in  private;  but 
there  is  not  a  court  of  law  in  the  land  that  could  sum- 
mon a  witness  who  would  admit  that  he,  or  she,  knew 


286  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

anything  about  the  matter.  In  my  case,  servants, 
neighbors,  citizens,  all  averred  that  my  wife  was  the 
pattern  of  fidelity;  that  she  had  not  been  known  to 
leave  her  house,  only  when  she  went  to  confession  and 
to  church;  that  she  had  not  even  bought  a  new  cap 
during  my  entire  absence. 

Consequently,  my  accusations  were  ridiculous,  and 
wholly  without  foundation. 

Her  defense  had  a  powerful  base  to  rest  on.  There 
was  the  letter  written  by  my  own  hand  on  Chinese 
palm-paper,  describing  our  meeting  in  the  palace  on 
Mount  Ararat,  and  attested  by  the  bonzes,  who,  as 
everybody  knows,  are  learned  men,  and  as  worthy  of 
trust  as  any  member  of  our  chapter-house. 

Consequently,  there  must  be  such  fairies  as  Maimuna 
and  Danesh,  else  the  bonzes  would  not  have  testified  to 
their  existence.  If  there  were  no  such  creatures  in 
Europe,  it  was  because  the  climate  was  too  severe. 
There  are  no  elephants  in  Holland,  yet  no  one  would 
deny  their  existence  elsewhere — not  even  the  man  who 
had  never  seen  one,  would  deny  that  they  roamed  the 
jungles  of  India !  Moreover,  is  there  not  mention  made 
in  the  Holy  Scriptures  of  a  chariot  of  fire  journeying 
with  a  passenger  through  the  air?  And  did  not  Jonah 
make  a  voyage  on  the  ocean,  in  the  stomach  of  a 
whale? 

If  holy  men  could  make  such  journeys,  why  should 
anyone  deny  that  the  genii  Maimuna  and  Danesh  had 
carried  a  man  and  his  wife  to  the  palace  on  Mount 
Ararat? — especially  as  both  man  and  wife  had  desired 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  287 

the  meeting,  whereas  Jonah  had  never  expressed  the 
least  desire  to  enter  the  whale's  belly. 

Added  to  this  evidence,  my  wife  possessed  in  the 
lingam  absolute  proof  of  my  having  been  with  her  on 
Ararat — also  the  fragment  of  dragon-cloth,  the  like  of 
which  was  not  to  be  found  in  all  Europe — all  irrefrag- 
able proofs ! 

You  may  guess  that  the  consistory  did  not  hesitate 
long  to  deliver  an  opinion. 

Although  it  was  almost  impossible  to  believe  that  so 
remarkable  a  journey  could  have  been  accomplished 
a  respectable  and  pious  lady  had  really  travelled  from 
Nimeguen  on  the  wings  of  an  East  Indian  Jinnee,  at 
night,  to  Mount  Ararat,  and  back  in  the  morning. 

Also :  It  was  not  at  all  likely  that  the  said  respectable 
and  pious  lady,  the  former  widow  of  a  captain,  wife  of 
a  gunner,  and  consort  of  an  Indian  rajah,  would 
demean  her  respectable  station,  and  inflict  a  stain  on 
her  wedded  fidelity.  Therefore,  the  woman  accused 
of  adultery  was  guiltless ;  and  the  father  of  the  surculi 
masculi  found  at  home  by  the  returned  gunner,  was 
no  other  than  he,  the  nuptia  demonstrant.  And  with 
this  decision  I  was  forced  to  be  satisfied,  also  with 
my  wife  and  the  infant. 

Here,  the  prince  laughed  so  heartily  that  he  burst  a 
button  from  his  collar. 

"An  amusing  story,  by  my  word !"  he  exclaimed.  "I 
would  not  have  missed  it  for  a  riding-horse !  Ha,  ha — 
to  decide  that  a  vision  really  happened  because  the 
dreamer  wrote  an  account  of  it — ha,  ha,  ha!" 


288  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

"And  did  everything  really  happen  as  you  related 
it?"  inquired  the  chair. 

Everything — I  give  my  word  of  honor — what  am  I 
saying?  Not  by  my  honor,  but  by  the  rope  around  my 
neck,  I  swear  that  everything  happened  just  as  I  told 
you.  You  may  apply  to  the  authorities  of  Nimeguen, 
who  will  substantiate  my  account.  Because  of  its  re- 
markable character,  the  case  is  recorded  in  the  chron- 
icles of  the  city.  This  will  explain  the  deed  I  was 
forced  to  commit  afterward. 

"We  will  hear  you  confess  it  tomorrow,"  said  the 
prince. 


CHAPTER  II. 
THE  QUICKSANDS. 

My  case  had  been  decided  by  the  consistory.  I  was 
not  the  first  man  who  had  had  such  an  experience ;  and 
I  was  philosophical  enough  to  conclude  that  if  other 
men  had  survived  their  disgrace,  I  might  also. 

So,  I  made  up  my  mind  to  forgive  my  wife,  and  live 
amicably  with  her.  I  acted  as  if  nothing  had  happened 
to  mar  the  relations  between  us,  and  all  would  have 
been  well,  had  not  my  neighbors  tormented  me  beyond 
endurance. 

I  became  furious  every  time  I  went  into  the  street. 
Everybody  saluted  me  as  "your  majesty."  They  would 
inquire  how  I  was  getting  on  with  my  crowns — as  if  I 
had  a  dozen !  One  man  would  ask  me  if  I  had  seen 
a  Maimuna  lately ;  another  would  tell  me  he  had  seen 
a  stork  with  a  baby  in  its  bill  fly  through  the  air.  I 
received  scurrilous  letters  through  the  post,  and  bands 
of  singers  would  stop  under  my  window  and  chant  my 
shameful  history  from  beginning  to  end.  In  short, 
everything  those  Nimeguen  citizens  could  invent  to 
annoy  me  was  done.  I  boiled  with  rage,  for  I  was 
unable  to  defend  myself. 

In  any  other  community  I  could  have  defended 
myself  from  such  persecution.  I  should  have  chal- 
lenged the  first  one  who  insulted  me,  and  run  him 

(289) 


290  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

through  with  my  sword.  That  is  an  effective  way  to 
silence  scurrilous  tongues.  In  Nimeguen,  however, 
it  would  have  been  impossible  to  find  a  second  to 
deliver  a  challenge ;  and  if  I  had  sent  it  by  a  messenger 
the  challenged  person  would  have  hastened  at  once  to 
the  burgomaster  to  complain  that  I  had  threatened  to 
murder  him. 

If  I  had  tweaked  the  nose  of  a  fellow  for  reiusing  to 
give  me  satisfaction,  he  would  have  sued  me;  and  I 
would  have  been  sentenced  to  pay  three  marks  for  a 
nose-tweak,  and  six  for  a  slap  on  the  mouth.  This 
would  have  resulted  in  my  spending  nearly  all  my  time 
in  the  burgomaster's  office,  because  of  the  numerous 
summons  to  answer  the  charge  of  assault  and  battery, 
and  my  wife  would  have  been  kept  busy  paying  the 
fines. 

At  last,  I  could  endure  it  no  longer.  I  told  my  wife 
I  should  have  to  go  away,  and  she  decided  that  we 
would  go  together  to  Vliessingen,  where  she  would 
drink  the  medicinal  waters. 

I  was  glad  enough  to  accompany  her.  I  would  have 
gone  anywhere  to  be  rid  of  my  tormenters.  But  I  was 
mistaken  in  believing  I  should  be  rid  of  them  at  Vlies- 
singen. I  received  anonymous  letters  by  every  post; 
but  I  paid  no  heed  to  them  until  one  day  I  received  the 
following : 

"What  a  stupid  fellow  y9U  are !  Your  wife  does  not 
need  a  jinnee  to  carry  her  where  she  wants  to  go.  You 
are  her  Maimuna;  and  Vliessingen  is  the  Ararat 
whither  Danesh  has  transported  her  lover.  He  has 
sent  her  a  red  velvet  cap  trimmed  with  gold  braid 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  291 

and  white  lace,  and  every  time  she  wears  it,  she  signals 
to  him  that  you  will  be  away  from  home  that  day.  Oh, 
stupid  dolt  that  you  are !" 

This  was  more  than  enough. 

My  wife  had  received  just  such  a  cap  as  was 
described  in  the  letter;  and  when  she  put  it  on,  it 
always  seemed  to  me  that  she  looked  happier. 

I  began  to  find  fault  with  the  cap.  I  begged  her  not 
to  wear  it,  or  at  least  not  to  go  out  doors  when  she  had 
it  on.  But  she  persisted  in  wearing  it,  and  ridiculed 
my  anger,  until  I  got  to  hate  the  sight  of  the  red  cap. 

One  day  I  was  obliged  to  go  to  Antwerp  on  business. 
My  wife  insisted  on  accompanying  me  part  of  the  way, 
as  I  should  have  to  walk  a  considerable  distance  from 
the  baths  to  take  a  conveyance. 

Something — my  white  dove  mayhap — whispered  in 
my  ear  not  to  let  her  go  with  me ;  that  it  would  be  bet- 
ter for  both  of  us  if  she  remained  at  home. 

But  she  had  set  her  head  on  going,  and  nothing 
could  prevent  it.  And  she  put  on  the  red  cap ! 

I  remonstrated  with  her  about  wearing  it,  but  she 
laughed  at  me  and  said : 

"You  silly  fellow !  Of  whom  are  you  jealous,  here  in 
this  sandy  desert?  Of  the  gulls,  perhaps? — or  the 
moles?" 

Are  the  honorable  gentlemen  of  the  court  familiar 
with  that  region?  No? 

Then  it  will  be  necessary  to  describe  it,  in  order  that 
what  I  relate  may  appear  clear  to  you. 

The  entire  country  thereabout  is  an  arid  waste,  a 


292  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

seemingly  illimitable  stretch  of  sand  dunes,  and  brack- 
ish pools,  partly  grown  with  brown  reeds,  broom  and 
heath,  but  so  stunted  that  the  horns  of  the  cattle  graz- 
ing there  are  plainly  seen.  The  herders  are  obliged 
to  wear  long  stilts.  This  uninhabited  territory  is  sep- 
arated by  a  dike  several  feet  in  height  from  the  downs, 
which  is  a  fearful  region. 

There,  earth  and  water  are  combined  against  man 
and  beast;  the  two  life-dispensing  elements  have 
become  agents  of  death.  The  sand  blown  from  the 
shore  of  the  sea  settles  on  the  deep  pools  and  dries. 
No  plants  grow  there,  and  woe  to  the  man  or  beast 
that  strays  on  to  the  downs  from  the  dike,  or  the  heath 
beyond.  The  sand  will  sink  beneath  the  feet  of  the 
incautious  wanderer ;  if  he  draws  up  one  foot,  the  other 
will  sink  yet  deeper.  At  first,  the  instability  of  the 
earth  amuses  him;  he  fancies  that,  wrhen  he  shall  tire 
of  the  amusement,  it  will  be  easy  enough  to  leave  the 
place. 

But  the  sand  into  which  he  is  slowly  but  surely  sink- 
ing is  bottomless.  Inch  by  inch  the  unfortunate  victim 
is  swallowed — as  is  the  dove  in  the  jaws  of  the  serpent. 
Not  until  he  has  sunk  to  his  waist,  does  despair  seize 
him,  and  he  realizes  that  escape  is  impossible.  Every 
effort  to  extricate  himself  is  futile — he  only  sinks  the 
deeper  into  the  treacherous  sand. 

In  vain  he  shouts  for  help.  No  help  will  come  to 
him,  for,  he  that  hears  despairing  cries  from  the  downs, 
will  flee  in  the  opposite  direction  to  get  beyond  reach  of 
the  sound,  knowing  well  that  were  he  to  attempt  to 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  293 

rescue  the  sinking  wretch  he  too  would  be  engulfed 
in  the  quicksand. 

When  the  victim's  head  has  vanished  beneath  the 
surface,  only  a  funnel-shaped  depression  marks  the 
spot  where  a  living  creature  has  met  death,  and  this 
sign  will  be  obliterated  by  the  first  wind  that  blows 
across  the  sands. 

As  I  have  mentioned  before,  a  dike,  with  a  road 
along  its  summit,  divides  the  treacherous  quicksands 
and  the  grazing  cattle. 

It  was  along  this  dike-road  that  my  wife  and  I 
walked  arm  in  arm  the  morning  I  started  for  Antwerp. 

"You  see,  my  love/'  I  said  to  her,  "how  happy  we 
are  together  when  there  is  no  one  to  disturb  us.  I 
should  want  for  nothing  else  on  earth  if  you  would  but 
promise  not  to  wear  that  red  cap  again." 

"And  I,"  she  returned,  "need  only  to  wear  this  red 
cap  in  order  to  make  me  perfectly  contented  and 
happy." 

"Very  well,  then  wear  it — wear  three  red  caps,  one 
over  the  other,  only  don't  wear  this  one  while  I  am 
away  from  you." 

"Well — I  won't  wear  it  while  you  are  away." 

"Swear  that  you  won't?" 

"No,  I  will  not  swear  not  to  wear  it,  for  if  I  should 
forget  my  oath,  and  put  the  cap  on,  then  I  should  per- 
jure myself — and  no  cap  is  worth  that !" 

"Then  the  cap  is  dearer  to  you  than  I  am?"  I  asked. 

"Do  you  hate  the  cap  so  much  that  you  hate  me 
because  I  wear  it?"  she  inquired  in  turn. 


294  TOLD  BY  TH%  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

"I  have  just  cause  to  hate  this  cap,  and  I  don't  want 
to  hate  you  for  the  same  reason.  Promise  not  to  wear 
it  while  I  am  away." 

"No,  I  will  not  promise — you  must  not  be  so 
quarrelsome." 

"I  will  show  you  why  you  ought  not  wear  it.  Here, 
read  this  letter  I  received  from  Nimeguen." 

I  took  the  letter  from  my  pocket,  and  gave  it  to  her. 
Her  face  took  on  the  hue  of  her  cap  as  she  read,  and 
when  she  had  finished,  she  stamped  her  foot,  tore  the 
letter  into  bits  and  flung  them  over  the  downs,  ex- 
claiming: 

"Now,  I  shall  wear  the  cap  for  spite." 

"No,  you  shall  not  wear  it,"  I  cried,  beside  myself 
with  rage. 

I  tore  the  cap  from  her  head  and  flung  it  after  the 
letter.  What  followed,  the  honorable  gentlemen  of  the 
court  will  be  able  to  conjecture  after  I  have  described 
my  wife's  figure  and  disposition. 

In  Holland,  as  well  as  in  some  other  portions  of  the 
globe,  married  people  occasionally  disagree;  but  I 
believe  that  only  in  Holland  is  it  the  husband  who  goes 
to  a  justice  of  the  peace  with  a  blackened  eye  to  sub- 
stantiate a  complaint  against  his  wife. 

My  spouse  was  no  exception  to  her  fellow-country- 
women. Taller  by  half  a  head  than  I,  broad-shouldered 
and  with  a  powerful  chest,  she  could  hold  at  arm's 
length  a  small  child  seated  on  her  hand — and  it  was  a 
hand,  too,  that  would  render  superfluous  a  visam 
repertunif  if  it  came  in  contact  with  a  human  face ! 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  295 

And  from  this  amazon  I  had  dared  to  snatch  a  favor- 
ite cap,  and  toss  it  on  the  quicksands.  As  I  flung  the 
cap  away,  the  woman  threw  herself  against  me  like  an 
enraged  elephant,  and  sent  me  staggering  backward  to 
the  edge  of  the  embankment,  where  I  turned  a  somer- 
sault down  into  one  of  the  bitter,  natron-impregnated 
pools  on  the  heath,  in  which  not  even  a  leech  can  exist. 

I  had  fallen  with  my  head  in  the  water ;  it  sank  to 
the  chin  in  the  slimy  mud  at  the  bottom,  and  had  it 
not  been  for  my  presence  of  mind,  I  should  have 
drowned ;  for  the  most  expert  swimmer  will  forget  his 
skill  if  he  finds  his  eyes,  nose,  mouth  and  ears  filled 
with  mire — and  mire,  too,  that  burns  and  stings  like 
nettles. 

I  managed  with  great  difficulty  to  wriggle  out  of  the 
pool,  but  I  could  see  neither  sky  nor  earth  for  several 
minutes.  It  took  considerable  time  to  cleanse  the 
mire  from  my  mouth,  nose,  eyes  and  ears;  and  it  was 
hours  before  I  could  hear  again. 

I  felt  like  one  resuscitated  from  drowning ;  my  entire 
body  burned  as  if  I  were  covered  from  crown  to  sole 
with  a  vesicatory.  Then  I  began  to  think  of  what 
might  have  happened  while  I  was  sitting  on  the  heath 
ridding  myself  of*  the  mire. 

I  could  not  see  my  wife  anywhere  on  the  embank- 
ment. What  had  become  of  her? 

I  was  compelled  to  wade  through  the  pools  a  con- 
siderable distance,  in  order  to  get  back  to  the  dike- 
road,  for  the  embankment  where  I  had  fallen  over  was 
too  steep  to  be  climbed. 


296  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

Therefore,  a  half  hour  or  more  passed  before  I  stood 
again  on  the  dike-road  looking  about  for  my  wife.  She 
was  nowhere  in  sight  on  the  road.  Then  I  turned 
toward  the  sands,  and  what  I  saw  there  caused  the 
blood  to  curdle  in  my  veins — the  foolish  woman  had 
gone  after  her  cap! 

She  had  it  on  her  head,  which,  with  her  two  arms, 
was  all  that  was  visible  of  her  body  above  the  sands. 
It  was  a  horrible  sight.  Her  staring  eyes  were  fixed  on 
me  in  accusation,  her  hands  battled  vainly  with  the 
empty  air,  her  lips  were  open,  but  no  sound  issued 
forth.  She  was  still  alive,  but  entombed. 

I  thought  of  nothing  but  saving  her.  I  sprang  down 
the  embankment,  but  when  the  sinking  woman  saw  me 
coming  toward  her,  she  began  to  beat  the  sand 
furiously  with  her  hands,  as  if  she  were  trying  to  pre- 
vent my  approach.  I  could  not  have  saved  her.  I  had 
made  but  fifty  steps  toward  her  when  I  too  began  to 
sink.  Recognizing  the  futility  of  further  effort  on  my 
part,  I  flung  myself  face  down  on  the  sand,  that  my 
entire  weight  might  not  rest  on  my  feet,  and  thus  I 
managed  to  propel  my  body  slowly,  painfully,  toward 
the  stable  earth. 

A  seemingly  endless  time  elapsed  before  I  reached 
the  foot  of  the  embankment,  and  all  the  while  there 
was  a  sound  in  my  ears  as  of  waves  dashing  against 
rocks,  each  wave  crying  hoarsely:  "Curse  you!" 
"Curse  you !" 

When  at  last,  dripping  with  ice-cold  perspiration  and 
quivering  with  horror,  I  reached  the  top  of  the  dike,  I 


«s     ; .' 

"oi  ,  . . t : .  «• ,  -.- 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  297 

could  see  only  the  red  velvet  cap  on  the  sands ;  and  as 
I  looked,  a  sudden  gust  of  wind  sweeping  up  from  the 
sea,  seized  it  and  bore  it  toward  me. 

Overcome  by  terror  I  turned  and  fled  like  a  madman 
down  the  road.  All  day  long  I  continued  my  flight 
over  pathless  wastes ;  through  withered  copses,  which 
had  been  destroyed  by  frequent  inundations ;  across 
marshes  filled  with  croaking  frogs,  and  nesting  storm- 
petrels;  the  lurking  place  of  weasels  and  others,  and 
from  every  corner  I  heard  voices  calling  after  me : 
"Murder!"  "Murder!"  The  frogs  croaked  it  from 
the  water,  the  birds  piped  it  from  the  air.  The  withered 
trees  moaned  it,  and  stretched  their  branches  threaten- 
ingly toward  me;  and  the  briars  trailing  along  the 
ground  caught  at  my  feet  and  cried:  "Stop,  stop!  let 
me  bind  you,  murderer !" 

All  things  animate  and  inanimate  joined  in  accusing 
me ;  and  at  last  a  wall  rose  before  me  to  hinder  further 
flight. 

It  was  only  a  broken  dike;  but  to  me  it  seemed  a 
prison.  Foot-sore  and  weary,  I  lay  down  amid  the 
stones  fallen  from  the  wall.  They  were  covered  with 
thick  moss,  and  it  was  a  relief  to  stretch  my  tired  limbs 
among  them. 

I  began  to  collect  my  scattered  senses,  to  think 
calmly  over  what  had  happened,  and  after  awhile  I 
began  to  excuse  myself  to  the  frogs  and  the  petrels, 
the  moles  and  the  sparse-branched  withered  trees  that 
stood  around  me  staring  at  me  as  if  they  would  say : 

"Come,  murderer,  decide  which  of  us  will  best  suit 
you." 


298  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

I  defended  myself:  "I  am  not  a  murderer;  I  am  not 
going  to  hang  myself.  I  did  not  lay  a  ringer  on  the 
woman — it  was  she  who  thrust  me  over  the  dike  into  a 
pool  where  I  nearly  drowned.  She  was  foolish  enough 
to  go  where  certain  death  awaited  her — she  alone  is  to 
blame !" 

"But, -why  did  you  throw  her  cap  on  the  sands?" 
questioned  the  frogs,  the  storm-birds,  and  the  moles. 
"Had  not  I  a  right  to  do  it?  Hadn't  I  a  right  to  pre- 
vent her  from  wearing  the  cap  which  disgraced  her  and 
me?  Had  not  she  brought  dishonor  on  me  once 
before?  Was  I  to  permit  it  a  second  time?  By  throw- 
ing the  cap  away  I  was  only  defending  my  honor  and 
her  virtue.  I  did  not  kill  her — she  alone  is  to  blame  for 
her  death !" 

"Ha,  ha,  ha !"  sneered  every  animate  creature.  "Ha, 
ha,  ha!"  scoffed  the  breeze  sweeping  over  the  moor. 
No  one — nothing  in  the  wide  world  took  sides  with  me. 
The  elements  were  against  me ;  every  human  being  on 
the  globe — large,  small,  white,  black,  olive-hued — all 
were  against,  me.  Cities,  towns,  villages;  houses 
palaces,  huts — all  were  my  enemies;  I  must  flee  from 
every  human  habitation. 

And  yet,  I  am  not  guilty.  All  the  world  will  say 
that  I  am.  My  wife  will  be  missed ;  she  was  seen  going 
away  in  my  company ;  her  cap  will  be  found  beside  the 
dike.  It  will  be  said  that  I  murdered  her,  and  thrust 
her  body  into  the  quicksands. 

I  am  not  my  wife's  murderer.  Did  no  one  see  her 
thrust  me  over  the  dike?  Will  no  one  testify  for  me? 

A  fluttering  wing  brushed  my  cheek : 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  299 

"Ah,  my  white  dove!  Are  you  there?  You  will 
speak  for  me.  You  will  tell  all  the  world  that  I  am 
innocent — that  I  did  not  murder  my  wife?" 

Filled  with  hope  and  joy,  I  turned  my  eyes  toward 
my  shoulder.  The  white  dove  was  not  perched  there, 
but  a  coal  black  raven,  and  he  croaked : 

"Thou  didst  it!" 

"At  last,"  exclaimed  the  mayor  as  he  shook  the 
ink  from  the  pen  with  which  he  had  authenticated  the 
protocol.  "At  last  we  have  a  confession  that  cannot  be 
rendered  invalid  by  a  pharasaical  ref errata  mentalis! 
At  last  the  executioner  will  get  something  to  do! 
Uxoricidium  aequale:  quartering,  praecedente:  the  right 
hand  to  be  severed  from  the  wrist." 

"I  don't  agree  with  your  honor,"  interposed  the 
prince.  "There  is  a  law  that  was  promulgated  by 
Sanctus  Ladislaus  rex — he  was  a  Hungarian  king,  to 
be  sure,  but  he  is  a  saint  for  all  that ;  and  because  he 
was  canonized  his  law  is  held  sacred  by  all  Christen- 
dom ;  it  reads  something  like  this :  'If  a  man  finds  his 
wife  guilty  of  infidelity,  and  takes  her  life,  he  is  answer- 
able to  God  alone  for  the  deed — ' ' 

"Of  course !"  angrily  exclaimed  the  chair,  "I'll  war- 
rant the  knave  never  dreamed  that  Sanctus  Ladislaus 
rex  would  drag  him  by  the  hair  of  his  head  out  of 
limbo ! — Let  it  be  added  to  the  rest  of  the  miracles  per- 
formed by  Saint  Ladislas !" 


PART    XL 


IN  SATAN'S  REALM. 


CHAPTER  I. 
THE  SATYRS. 

Not  until  the  shadows  of  night  had  settled  around 
me  did  I  learn  into  what  an  accursed  region  I  had 
strayed.  It  was  the  notorious  "kempenei" — the  ren- 
dezvous of  witches  and  all  evil  spirits. 

When  it  became  quite  dark,  the  jack-o'-lanterns 
began  to  flit  over  the  moor — as  if  the  witches  were 
dancing  a  minuet;  and  suddenly  I  heard  a  tumult  of 
shrieks  and  yells,  and  looking  upward  I  beheld  the 
most  repulsive  lot  of  females  it  has  ever  been  the  lot 
of  man  to  see. 

They  had  hairy  chins ;  and  huge  warts  on  their  noses. 
They  came  rushing  through  the  air,  seated  on  the 
shoulders  of  pallid-faced  male  forms.  Each  hag"  hung 
her  mount  by  the  bridle  around  his  neck  to  a  limb  of 
one  of  the  dead  trees,  and  clapped  her  heels  three 
times  together  before  she  descended  to  the  ground. 
Then  the  witches  held  a  council,  and  each  one  detailed 
(300) 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  301 

the  evil  she  had  perpetrated  the  past  twenty-four  hours. 
I  heard  one  say  boastfully: 

"I  sent  an  angry  woman  running  after  her  cap,  which 
her  husband  had  thrown  on  the  quicksands,  and  I 
let  her  sink  to  her  death.  The  man  escaped — " 

Here  her  sister-witches  fell  on  her  and  beat  frer  with 
switches,  because  she  had  allowed  a  man  to  escape  from 
her. 

"Let  me  alone !  Let  me  alone !"  she  shrieked.  "I'll 
find  him  yet — he  won't  get  away  from  me  a  second 
time !" 

Terror  seized  me  anew.  I  shuddered,  and  pressed  as 
closely  as  possible  into  my  mossy  bed. 

Then  the  'hags  began  to  arrange  their  plans  for  the 
next  day.  They  would  send  the  "Bocksritter"  to  attack 
a  caravan  that  was  coming  to  Antwerp. 

I  had  heard  a  good  deal  about  the  Bocksritter,  a 
mounted  band  of  ferocious  robbers,  who  looked  like 
satyrs,  and  were  in  league  with  Satan.  They  were  even 
more  to  be  dreaded  than  the  Haidemaken.  When  the 
satyrs  committed  an  extensive  robbery,  they  took  good 
care  not  to  let  a  single  one  of  their  victims  escape  alive 
— not  even  the  infant  in  its  cradle.  They  left  no  one 
to  witness  against  them ;  and,  as  they  fled  at  once  to 
another  country,  it  was  impossible  to  learn  anything 
about  them.  Where  they  committed  their  depredations 
and  the  officers  of  the  law  failed  to  find  trace  of  them,  it 
was  concluded,  and  naturally,  that  the  Bocksritter  were 
a  myth,  and  the  story  of  their  depredations  an  idle 
fable., 


302  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

When  the  witches  had  decided  their  plans  for  the 
next  day,  the  most  hideous  of  the  hideous  crew  began 
to  peer  about  her,  and  sniff  the  air. 

"I  smell  something!"  she  exclaimed;  "something 
that  doesn't  belong  here." 

"It  smells  like  a  human  being/'  said  a  second,  also 
sniffing  around  her. 

"Ha,  if  only  it  were  the  fellow  who  escaped  me  this 
morning!"  with  a  snort  exclaimed  a  third.  "It 
wouldn't  take  me  long  to  prepare  him  for  a  bridle" — 
she  glanced  as  she  concluded  toward  the  pallid  crea- 
tures hanging  on  the  trees. 

I  pressed  still  further  into  the  moss  and  ferns;  but 
the  raven  on  my  shoulder  began  to  flutter  his  wings, 
as  if  to  attract  the  witches'  attention. 

"Some  one  is  hiding  over  yonder!"  they  cried  as 
with  one  voice.  "Come  on,  sisters,  let's  tickle  him !" 

I  heard  them  approach  my  hiding  place,  and  in  my 
despair  I  cried  out: 

"If  God  be  with  me,  who  can  be  against  me  T" 

Hardly  had  the  words  left  my  lips  when  I  received  a 
blow  on  the  ear  from  the  raven's  wing  that  made  it 
tingle,  but  the  witches  had  scattered  in  all  directions, 
uttering  frightful  yells.  When  I  lifted  my  head  to  look 
after  them,  the  wind  sweeping  over  the  moor  was  driv- 
ing before  it  the  glimmering  jack-o'-lanterns,  which 
looked  like  a  fleeing  troop  of  torch-bearing  soldiers. 

Just  then  the  moon  rose  above  the  horizon.  It  was 
in  the  last  quarter,  by  which  I  knew  it  must  be  an  hour 
after  midnight. 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  303 

I  rose  quickly,  and  prepared  to  set  about  perform- 
ing the  good  deed  I  had  determined  on;  I  would 
hasten  to  meet  the  caravan  travelling  to  Antwerp,  and 
tell  the  leaders  of  the  danger  which  threatened  them 
from  the  Bocksritter. 

cast  from  me  every  fear  that  prompted  me  to  avoid 
my  fellow-creatures,  and  rejoiced  that  it  was  in  my 
power  to  serve  them  a  good  turn. 

Only  after  I  had  proceeded  a  considerable  distance 
on  my  errand  of  mercy  did  it  occur  to  me  that  I  was 
unarmed,  tha*  1  had  nothing  to  defend  myself  from 
the  wolves  which  infest  that  region,  but  a  knife  which 
I  carried  in  a  sheath  at  my  side. 

On  my  way,  I  came  upon  a  slender  yew  tree — a 
straight  beautiful  stem,  and  hard  as  iron.  I  cut  it  down 
with  my  knife,  Nand  soon  had  a  cudgel  that  would  serve 
me  well  in  an  emergency.  I  could  brain  any  wolf  that 
might  take  a  fancy  to  satisfy  his  appetite  with  my 
carcass. 

I  found  my  own  hunger  growing  wolfish  toward 
dawn,  and  when  I  came  to  the  highway  I  looked  about 
for  an  inn.  I  saw  smoke  rising  from  a  chimney  not 
far  distant,  and  made  my  way  toward  the  house,  which 
proved  to  be  one  of  entertainment  for  man  and  beast. 

The  inn-keeper,  from  whom  I  ordered  some  bread 
and  cheese,  was  busy  preparing  in  a  large  kettle  a 
savory  stew  of  meat  and  cabbage.  I  asked  him  to 
give  me  a  dish  of  it,  but  he  said  he  could  not  let  me 
have  any,  as  it  was  for  a  crowd  of  people  who  were 
coming  with  a  large  caravan  that  morning. 


304  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

It  was  true  then !  I  had  really  seen  and  heard  the 
witches  on  the  moor.  It  was  not  a  dream. 

I  had  not  long  to  wait.  A  tinkling  of  bells  announced 
the  approach  of  the  caravan  while  I  was  eating  my 
breakfast. 

There  were  vans  and  vehicles  of  all  sorts,  and  all 
manner  of  traders;  lace  merchants,  carpet  dealers, 
weavers,  goldsmiths,  on  their  way  to  the  fair  at  Ant- 
werp. They  had  an  escort  of  soldiers,  with  red  and 
yellow  jackets,  and  armed  with  muskets  and  halberds ; 
also  several  dragoons  with  buff  waistcoats. 

Even  the  traders  were  armed  with  pistols  and  car- 
bines. All  were  in  high  good  humor  when  they  entered 
the  inn.  The  leader  of  the  caravan,  a  pot-bellied  thread 
dealer,  ordered  everything  that  was  to  be  had  from 
kitchen  and  cellar,  and  produced  from  his  knapsack  a 
large  ham  which  he  shared  with  some  of  his  compan- 
ions. Toward  the  close  of  the  meal,  he  noticed  me, 
and  kindly  offered  me  the  gnawed  ham-bone. 

"Thank  you,"  said  I.  "In  return  for  this  bare  bone 
I  will  do  you  a  kindness :  Take  my  advice,  and  don't 
go  any  further  today;  or,  if  you  cannot  delay  until 
tomorrow,  send  a  strongly  armed  troop  in  advance  of 
your  caravan,  and  let  one  guard  it  in  the  rear,  for  you 
are  in  danger  of  an  attack  from  the  Bocksritter,  who 
will  leave  your  bones  as  bare  as  you  have  left  this  one 
you  offer  me!" 

Then  I  repeated  to  the  entire  company  what  I  had 
heard  the  witches  say.  But,  a  curse  rested  on  me !  No 
one  believed  me;  they  laughed  at  me,  ridiculed  my 
"witch-story,"  said  I  had  dreamed  it;  and  the  inn- 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  305 

keeper  threatened  to  cast  me  out  of  his  house  for  try- 
ing to  bring  disrepute  on  it. 

He  averred  that  robbers  were  unknown  in  that 
neighborhood — there  were  no  such  disreputable  char- 
acters anywhere  but  in  Brabant  and  Spain,  where  they 
lurked  in  subterranean  caverns  like  the  marmots. 
Moreover,  who  was  afraid  of  robbers?  Not  he! 

The  caravan's  valiant  escort  were  delighted  with  the 
prospect  of  a  skirmish  with  the  notorious  Bocksritter 
— let  them  begin  their  attack !  Everyone  of  the  rascals 
would  soon  find  himself  spitted  on  an  honest  bayonet ! 
There  was  so  much  boasting  about  the  escort's  prow- 
ess that  at  last  I  concluded  the  safest  way  for  me  to  get 
to  Antwerp  would  be  to  join  the  caravan;  which  I  did. 

All  went  well  with  us  until  late  in  the  afternoon, 
when,  as  we  were  passing  through  a  pine  forest,  the 
robbers  suddenly  fell  upon  us. 

They  appeared  so  suddenly  that  one  might  almost 
believe  they  sprang  from  the  earth.  They  were 
masked ;  their  clothing  was  of  black  buffalo  skin,  laced 
with  crimson  cord.  A  black  cock's  feather  adorned 
every  hat. 

The  first  salvo  from  their  muskets  laid  low  at  least 
half  of  our  company;  then  the  villains  fell  on  us  with 
their  swords  and  began  a  frightful  butchery.  The 
leader  of  the  caravan  tumbled  from  his  steed  before 
he  received  an  injury,  and  had  I  not  been  in  such  haste 
to  save  my  skin,  I  should  have  stopped  to  say  to  him : 

"Why  don't  you  laugh  at  me  now,  Mynheer  Pot- 
belly?" 

But  it  was  no  time  for  jesting.    I  ran  swiftly  toward 


306  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

the  road,  on  the  further  side  of  which  was  a  dense 
growth  of  young  firs,  and  beyond  them  a  stretch  o! 
undulating  moorland,  where,  I  imagined,  I  might  ef- 
fect my  escape.  The  long  yew  staff  I  carried  served  me 
well;  by  its  aid  I  could  jump  from  hillock  to  hillock, 
and  thus  make  swifter  progress  than  had  I  been  on 
horseback. 

"Let  him  run!"  cried  the  robber  captain,  who  was 
distinguished  from  the  rest  by  the  crimson  ostrich 
plume  on  his  hat.  "Let  him  go ;  we  will  after  him  when 
we  have  finished  here.  He  won't  go  very  far." 

I  soon  found  he  was  right.  I  had  not  gone  more 
than  a  hundred  paces,  when  I  came  to  a  mound  from 
which  there  was  neither  retreat,  nor  advance.  It  was 
made  up  of  pebbles,  sand  and  the  gravelly  soil  of  the 
highway,  from  which  a  narrow  path  led  to  the  mound. 
On  all  sides  were  deep  ditches  filled  with  stagnant 
water,  rank  vines  and  noxious  weeds;  so  that  no  one 
could  cross  them  without  risk  to  life  or  limb. 

I  was  caught ! 

Out  on  the  highway,  my  companions  of  the  caravan 
were  being  exterminated  to  a  man.  None  were  allowed 
to  escape. 

When  the  work  of  carnage  was  completed  there,  the 
butchers  turned  their  attention  to  me. 

I  was  alone,  and  defenseless  on  my  islet.  The  demons 
came  toward  me,  laughing  brutally,  and  in  my  despair 
I  laughed  too. 

I  said  to  myself:  "I  too  will  have  some  fun  before  I 
die!" 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  307 

I  loosed- the  leather  belt  from  my  waist,  and  made  a 
sling  of  it.  Pebbles  lay  at  my  feet  in  plenty  for  my 
David's  battle  with  Goliah. 

The  robbers  soon  found  they  had  to  do  with  a  skilled 
bombardier;  my  shots  struck  them  and  their  horses 
with  a  force  and  regularity  that  began  to  tell  on  their 
ranks.  Many  were  thrown  from  their  saddles  with 
skulls  and  ribs  crushed. 

The  fun  was  not  all  on  their  side.  Finding  at  last 
that  I  was  not  to  be  taken  alive,  they  concluded  to  use 
me  as  a  target  for  their  muskets.  One  of  them  dis- 
mounted, lifted  the  musket  from  his  shoulder,  thrust 
the  bayonet  into  the  ground,  and  rested  the  gun  on  it. 
After  he  had  arranged  the  priming  in  the  pan,  he  called 
to  me: 

"Surrender,  fellow,  or  I'll  shoot  you!" 

"Try  it,"  I  called  back,  whirling  the  sling  around 
my  head.  "Afterward  I'll  have  a  shot  at  you." 

"Do  you  throw  first,"  he  called  again. 

"No,  thank  you — you  are  the  challenger;  do  you 
shoot  first." 

He  fired,  and  missed  me. 

Then  I  hurled  my  stone ;  it  struck  him  on  the  jaw, 
and  broke  off  his  teeth. 

Then  a  second,  and  a  third,  had  a  try  at  me  without 
effect,  but  everyone  of  my  shots  inflicted  serious  injury. 

I  was  not  an  expert  gunner  for  nothing ;  I  knew  that 
when  one  is  the  target  for  a  gunshot,  one  has  but  to 
watch  closely  when  the  match  is  applied  to  the  prim- 


308  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

ing ;  if  two  flashes  are  seen,  then  the  aim  will  be  faulty, 
the  ball  will  fly  wide  of  the  mark,  and  it  will  not  be 
necessary  to  dodge.  If  but  one  flash  is  seen,  then  it 
will  be  well  to  step  to  one  side. 

I  had  the  advantage  of  the  robbers;  for,  while  they 
were  preparing  their  muskets  to  fire,  I  could  hurl  five 
or  six  stones,  and  not  one  of  them  missed  its  mark.  I 
hoped  that  one  of  the  bullets  whistling  past  my  ears 
might  hit  the  raven  on  my  shoulders ;  but  he  was  too 
shrewd  a  bird ;  he  rose  in  the  air,  and  I  could  hear  the 
fluttering  of  his  wings  above  my  head. 

At  last  the  robbers  were  obliged  to  acknowledge  that 
I  had  the  better  of  them.  Only  one  of  them  at  a  time 
could  approach  my  islet  over  the  narrow  path ;  or  wade 
up  to  his  horse's  neck  through  the  weed-entangled 
morass,  and  that  one  would  fall  an  easy  prey  to  my 
sling. 

"Stop !"  now  cried  the  wearer  of  the  crimson  plume. 
"This  valiant  fellow's  life  must  be  spared.  He  will  be 
a  valuable  addition  to  our  band.  Let  no  one  molest 
him — I  will  talk  with  him  myself,"  saying  which,  he  got 
off  his  horse,  and  came  toward  me  unarmed.  "Have 
no  fear,"  he  called  to  me.  "You  are  a  brave  lad,  and 
just  the  sort  we  need.  We  kill  only  cowards.  If  you 
will  join  us  you  shall  not  rue  it." 

What  could  I  do?  I  was  a  fugitive,  excluded  from 
all  honest  and  respectable  society.  I  knew  not  where 
to  turn.  If  I  refused  to  join  the  robbers,  I  should  have 
to  flee  from  country  to  country ;  I  might  as  well  fly  in 
company  with  others.  The  desire  for  revenge  also 
prompted  me  to  accept  the  leader's  offer.  I  would  pun- 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  309 

ish  the  people  who  had  ridiculed  me,  and  condemned 
me  because  of  a  dream. 

"Who  are  you?"  I  asked.  "Are  you  Satan?  I  will 
not  enter  into  a  league  with  him." 

"No,  I  am  not  Satan ;  I  am  the  leader  of  the  Bocks- 
ritter.  If  you  will  join  us,  you  shall  be  corporal,  and 
in  time  you  may  become  the  leader." 

"Thank  you,"  said  I,  "but  I  think  I  should  prefer  to 
remain  simply  a  private.  I  have  heard  that  the  man 
who  leagues  himself  with  the  'satyrs/  binds  his  body  to 
pain  and  death ;  and  that  he  who  becomes  their  leader 
must  bond  his  soul  to  the  devil — and  that  I  will  never 
do." 

"Very  well,"  he  growled  in  response;  "I  regret  to 
hear  so  brave  a  lad  decide  thus.  Then  bind  yourself 
only  to  pain  and  death." 

Our  compact  was  sealed,  and  I  was  given  the  horse 
and  outfit  of  one  of  the  robbers  I  had  killed  in  defend- 
ing myself,  and  when  the  black  mask  had  been 
adjusted  over  my  face,  I  felt  that  I  had  ceased  to  belong 
to  this  world.  I  had  no  name — was  nobody.  I  was  a 
satyr,  a  foe  to  society.  Whatever  I  might  do  thence- 
forth, whatever  crime  I  might  commit,  no  one  would 
hear  of  it.  The  mask  did  not  speak !  The  Bocksritter 
committed  their  horrible  deeds  of  pillage  and  murder 
in  the  Netherlands ;  in  Wurtemberg ;  along  the  Rhine ; 
in  Alsace  and  Lorraine.  In  which  of  them,  or  in  how 
many,  I  took  part — who  can  say?  The  mask  does  not 
speak ! 

Where  we  roved,  what  we  did,  who  can  say?  Not  I. 
Whether  the  satyrs  robbed  churches,  whether  they 


310  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

destroyed  caravans,  burned  cities,  desecrated  convents 
and  routed  their  inmates,  plundered  mines,  devastated 
estates — who  can  say? 

Whether  I  assisted  at  all  the  crimes  they  committed, 
or  at  only  one — or  whether  I  took  part  in  none — who 
can  say? 

Was  I  the  satyr  that  flung  back  into  his  burning 
house  the  usurious  Jew  who  had  escaped  from  it?  or 
was  I  the  one  that  rescued  a  babe  from  the  flames  and 
bore  it  on  his  saddle  to  the  mother's  arms? 

Was  I  the  satyr  who  placed  the  mine  under  the  con- 
vent and  exploded  it?  or  was  I  the  one  who  warned 
the  nuns  in  time  for  them  to  escape — who  can  say?  The 
mask  does  not  speak. 

"Well,"  observed  the  prince,  "if  you  don't  know ; 
and  the  mask  won't  tell,  then  this  entire  chapter  of 
your  confession  must  be  eliminated  from  the  index." 

Then  he  added  further,  in  order  to  propitiate  the 
chair :  "Why,  don't  you  see,  that  the  prisoner  did  not 
become  a  satyr  of  his  own  free  will?  That  he  was 
forced  to  join  the  band  under  pain  of  death?  If,  while 
he  was  with  the  robbers,  he  committed  good  deeds,  or 
evil,  who — as  he  says  himself — can  say?" 

"Aye,  who  indeed?"  satirically  responded  the  chair. 
"The  mystery  of  the  whole  affair  is  so  clear  that  no  one 
will  be  able  to  say  whether  this  valiant  and  pious  Chris- 
tian ought  to  be  hanged,  or  this  conscienceless  repro- 
bate ought  to  be  canonized !" 


CHAPTER  II. 
WITCH-SABBATH. 

The  satyrs  did  not  ask  my  name  when  I  joined  their 
band ;  but  bestowed  one  on  me  with  the  mask.  They 
did  not  select  their  names  from  the  calendar,  but  chose 
the  appellations  of  distinguished  satanic  personages — 
as,  for  instance,  there  was  a  Belial ;  a  Semiazaz ;  a  Luci- 
fer; Mephistopholes ;  Belzebub;  Azazel;  Samiel; 
Dromo;  Asmodens,  Dopziher,  Flibbertigibbet,  and 
so  on. 

The  leader  was  Astaroth ;  me  they  called  Belphegor, 
and  my  "blood-comrade"  Behoric. 

The  way  a  blood-comradeship  was  formed  was  this : 
The  two  men  slashed  their  right  arms,  and  each  drank 
of  the  blood  gushing  from  the  arm  of  the  other.  This 
was  an  alliance  of  the  first  degree.  A  second  com- 
radeship was  formed  by  two  men  pricking  their  names 
into  each  other's  arms.  Both  ceremonies  were  per- 
formed only  on  witch-sabbath. 

Great  privileges  were  associated  with  blood-com- 
radeship. The  comrades  shared  everything;  they  be- 
longed to  each  other.  Mine  is  thine,  and  thine  mine. 

If  one  of  them  said :  I  want  this,  or  that ;  the  other 
had  to  give  it  to  him. 

Whatever  one  commanded  the  other  had  to  obey; 

(311) 


312  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

and  if  one  comrade  wanted  to  exchange  bodies  with 
the  other,  the  latter  was  obliged  to  consent  and — 

"But  that  is  impossible,"  here  interrupted  the  prince. 

"No  it  isn't,"  spoke  up  the  chair  with  like  decision, 
"Johann  Magus  proves  conclusively  that  such  ex- 
changes have  been  known  to  take  place." 

"Well,  if  it  is  possible,"  returned  his  highness,  "I 
should  like,  if  your  honor  and  I  were  'blood-comrades,' 
to  see  how  we  would  manage  such  an  exchange ! 
There's  room  enough  in  my  hide  for  three  like  you ; 
but  how  I  could  get  into  yours  puzzles  me !" 

The  prisoner  proceeded  to  explain  how  it  might  be 
accomplished : 

The  entire  body  undergoes  a  change ;  the  larger  be- 
comes smaller,  and  vice  versa]  so  that  an  exchange 
is  easily  effected.  It  needs  only  the  consent  of  both 
parties.  All  sorts  of  complications  may  arise  from 
such  an  exchange,  though.  Suppose  I  were  a  bride- 
groom, and  my  blood-comrade  should  suggest  an  ex- 
change of  bodies;  or,  if  I  were  on  my  way  to  the 
gallows,  and  I  should  ask  to  exchange? 

One  day  the  leader  of  the  band  said  to  me : 

"Belphegor,  you  must  marry.  You  will  not  be  a 
genuine  satyr  until  you  are  mated  with  a  female  mem- 
ber of  our  band." 

"But  where  are  the  ladies?  I  have  not  yet  seen  any 
of  them,"  I  asked. 

"I  have  a  bride  ready  for  you,  my  youngest  sister 
Lilith.  You  shall  see  her  very  soon." 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  313 

I  knew  that  a  Lilith  had  tempted  Father  Adam  to 
be  untrue  to  Mother  Eve;  if  she  and  the  captain's 
sister  were  one  and  the  same,  then  she  must  be  consid- 
erably older  than  I.  So  I  said : 

"Does  she  wear  a  mask?" 

"Certainly." 

"Then  I'll  marry  her !" 

And  so  it  was  settled  that  I  should  become  the 
leader's  brother-in-law. 

In  a  subterranean  cavern  in  the  Black  Forest  our 
wedding  was  celebrated.  The  entire  company  of  satyrs 
were  assembled  to  witness  the  ceremony,  and  when  the 
numerous  torches  were  lighted,  the  cavern  looked  like 
an  immensely  large  church  with  this  difference :  every- 
thing was  inverted.  The  images  of  the  saints  stood  on 
their  heads ;  even  the  crucifix  in  the  chancel  was  upside 
down.  The  organ's  base  was  against  the  ceiling;  the 
winged  cherubs  hovered  overhead  feet  upward;  the 
bells  swung  with  the  clappers  standing  upright,  and 
the  choir  chanted  the  psalm  backward.  The  priest 
who  performed  the  ceremony  had  the  most  peculiar 
legs;  one  was  at  least  a  foot  shorter  than  the  other; 
and  when  an  acolyte  removed  the  mitre,  the  father's 
head  came  off  with  it.  Asafoetida  instead  of  incense 
was  burned  in  the  censer. 

My  bride,  whom  I  saw  now  for  the  first  time,  was 
robed  in  garments  far  more  costly  and  magnificent  than 
any  I  had  ever  seen  on  my  regal  wife,  Sumro  Begum. 
The  fine  clothes  and  gew-gaws  concealed  the  contours 
of  her  form,  and  a  heavy  gold-embroidered  veil  com- 


314  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

pletely  hid  her  face.  The  priest  made  us  repeat  the 
marriage  service  backward ;  and  when  he  bade  us 
inscribe  our  names  in  the  register  I  took  good  care  to 
look  closely  at  my  wife's  hands.  They  were  encased  in 
gloves,  but  I  could  see  that  the  finger  nails  were  long 
and  sharp — which  did  not  augur  favorably  for  me 
should  there  arise  any  domestic  differences  between  us. 

Her  voice  was  youthful  enough ;  she  did  not  pro- 
nounce P  like  M,  from  which  I  concluded  that  she  still 
had  teeth. 

We  left  the  church  to  the  music  of  the  organ.  I  led 
my  bride  on  my  arm  to  the  wagon  waiting  for  us  at  the 
entrance  to  the  cavern.  It  was  a  large,  heavy  vehicle, 
roomy  enough  for  a  dozen  persons,  and  harnessed  to 
it  were  six  stag-beetles. 

"How  in  the  devil's  name  are  these  beetles  going  to 
drag  such  a  heavy  vehicle?"  I  cried  angrily.  "Six 
horses  couldn't  move  it." 

"No,  of  course  they  couldn't!"  assented  my  wife. 
"The  axles  need  greasing.  Here,  rub  some  of  this  oint- 
ment on  them." 

I  obeyed,  and  greased  the  axles  with  the  contents  of 
an  agate  box  Lilith  held  in  her  hand.  The  entire  wed- 
ding company  now  sprang  on  the  wagon,  leaving  only 
the  driver's  seat  for  me  and  my  bride.  Lilith  took  the 
reins;  the  six  beetles  spread  their  wings,  and  off  we 
went — the  heavy  wagon  with  its  heavier  load  flying  as 
swiftly  and  lightly  through  the  air  as  thistle-down 
before  a  gale. 

I  thought^  an  excellent  chance  to  get  a  sight  of  my 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  315 

bride's  face  while  both  her  hands  were  occupied  with 
the  reins,  and  quickly  flung  back  her  veil. 

Horror !  the  blood  froze  in  my  veins.  They  were  the 
repulsive  features  of  the  witch  I  had  heard  boast  on  the 
kempenei,  that  she  would  catch  me  yet,  and  prepare 
me  for  the  bridle. 

Beyond  a  doubt  she  was  Father  Adam's  temptress, 
for  there  were  wrinkles  enough  on  her  hideous  face  to 
represent  the  many  centuries  which  had  passed  since 
her  little  affair  with  the  first  man ;  while,  for  the  devel- 
opment of  such  a  moustache  from  the  delicate  peach- 
down,  which  makes  a  woman's  lips  so  kissable,  would 
require  many  a  cycle  of  time ! 

"I  will  jump  from  the  wagon !"  I  cried  in  terror. 

"Better  put  your  arms  around  me  to  keep  from  fall- 
ing out !"  laughed  my  terrible  bride,  and  then  I  noticed 
for  the  first  time  that  we  were  at  least  five  hundred  feet 
above  the  earth. 

To  force  me  to  adopt  her  suggestion,  Lilith  guided 
the  beetles  toward  the  spire  of  the  Cologne  Cathedral, 
against  which  we  struck  with  such  violence  that  to 
save  myself  from  tumbling  from  my  seat  I  had  to  fling 
my  arm  around  Lilith's  waist,  at  which  the  entire  com- 
pany laughed  uproariously. 

At  last,  to  my  great  relief,  we  descended  to  the  earth, 
and  alighted  in  a  lonely  forest,  at  another  of  the 
witches'  meeting  places,  where  we  were  greeted  by  a 
weird  company  that  assembled  from  all  quarters  of  the 
globe.  They  came  through  the  air,  riding  on  brooms, 
on  chairs,  on  benches — 


316  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S,  HEAD. 

"I  don't  believe  a  single  word  of  the  ridiculous 
story !"  here  emphatically  exclaimed  the  prince. 

"I  do,"  with  equal  emphasis  affirmed  the  chair. 
"Johannes  de  Kembach  has  described  witches'  jour- 
neys in  almost  the  same  language ;  and  the  learned 
Majolus  testifies  to  the  flying  wagon,  which  a  servant 
in  mistake  greased  with  witch  ointment  instead  of  axle 
grease.  Moreover,  a  similar  tale  is  related  by  Torque- 
mada,  in  his  Hexameron — a  recognized  authority  on 
such  matters." 

The  prisoner  continued  his  oonfession : 

The  witches,  as  I  said,  came  through  the  air  accom- 
panied by  their  gallants;  the  demons  rose,  with  their 
attendants,  from  the  ground.  Among  the  latter  were 
several  of  the  celebrities  from  whom  the  satyrs  had 
borrowed  the  name  they  bore. 

Semiazaz  is  the  jester  of  the  demon-crew,  also  the 
musician ;  and  when  he  plays,  all  the  rest  have  to  dance. 
His  nose  is  a  clarionet ;  he  plays  it  with  his  ears  instead 
of  his  fingers  with  which  he  thrums  on  the  skeleton 
ribs  of  a  cow,  as  on  a  harp ;  and  he  beats  the  drum  with 
his  tail. 

Behoric,  my  blood-comrade's  god-father,  is  a  huge 
fellow  with  an  elephant's  trunk,  with  which  he  signs  his 
name.  That  is  why  N.  P.  (nasu  propria)  instead  of  M. 
P.  (manu  propria)  is  always  appended  to  this  demon's 
signature.  Behoric  is  also  an  elegant  cavalier.  He 
wears  his  tail  jauntily  over  one  shoulder,  and  fans  him- 
self, when  he  gets  too  warm,  with  the  brush  at  the  tip. 

All  of  the  demons,  with  a  single  exception,  had 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  317 

wings  like  a  bat.  My  namesake  alone  differed  in  this 
respect  from  his  fellows.  His  wings  were  formed  from 
the  quills  which  have  been  used  on  earth  to  sign  and 
write  documents  worthy  of  the  infernal  regions. 

There  was  the  quill  used  by  Pilate  to  sign  the  accu- 
sation against  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  release  of 
Barabbas ;  the  -quill  with  which  Aretino  indited  his 
sonnets;  the  quill  used  by  Queen  Elizabeth  to  sign 
Mary  Stuart's  death  sentence;  the  quill  with  which 
Catharine  de  Medici  ordered  the  horrors  of  St.  Bar- 
tholomew's night ;  the  quill  with  which  -Pope  Leo  X. 
wrote  indulgences  for  money;  the  quill  with  which 
Pope  Innocent  wrote  the  words:  "Sint  ut  sunt  aut 
nou  sint;"  the  quill  with  which  a  distinguished  Arch- 
bishop wTote  his  ambiguous  answer:  "Reginam 
occidere  nolite  timer e  bonum  est;"  the  quill  that  wrote 
at  Shylock's  order  the  contract  for  a  pound  of  human 
flesh ;  the  quill  used  by. the  mortal  foe  of  the  Foscari  to 
write  in  his  book  "La  Pagata;"  the  quill  with  which 
King  Philip  signed  the  death  warrant  of  his  son;  the 
quill  with  which  Tetzel  scrawled  his  pamphlet  attack- 
ing Luther — and  all  the  rest  of  the  quills  which  have 
been  used  for  such  like  infamous  deeds,  were  to  be 
found  in  Belphegor's  wings. 

They  were  gigantic  wings,  too,  much  longer  than 
those  of  roc ;  and  whenever  Behoric  needed  a  pen.  he 
would  pluck  from  them  the  quill  which  best  suited  the 
document  he  wanted  to  sign.  After  all  the  demons 
and  witches  were  assembled  they  began  to  plan  evil 
deeds ;  and  my  bride  being  the  heroine  of  the  hour,  she 
had  the  right  to  offer  the  first  suggestion : 


318  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

"There  is  an  inn  near  the  'kempenei,'  "  she  began, 
"whose  owner  is  in  league  with  the  commandant  of 
Bilsen  to  counterfeit  money,  and  waylay  travellers. 
The  counterfeit  money  is  started  into  circulation  by  the 
inn-keeper,  who  gives  it  to  the  caravans  which  stop  at 
his  house  for  refreshment,  in  exchange  for  the  genuine 
money  they  leave  with  him.  This  publican  has  become 
repentant,  and  wants  to  atone  for  his  misdeeds.  He 
confessed  his  criminal  practices  in  a  letter  to  the  gov- 
ernor, and  told  where  the  commandant  fabricated  the 
false  coin.  This  letter  I  managed  to  have  conveyed 
to  the  commandant  instead  of  to  the  governor,  and 
tonight,  the  former  with  his  troops  is  going  to  pay  a 
visit  to  the  inn.  What  say  you,  friends:  how  many 
souls  shall  we  send  to  hell?" 

"All  of  them!  All  of  them!"  yelled  the  witches. 
"We  will  have  some  fun  this  night!  Ho,  Lucifer! 
We  await  you !" 

A  terrific  noise  and  rumbling  was  heard,  and  the 
ground  opened,  as  when  an  earthquake  cleaves  the 
crust  of  the  globe.  From  the  abyss  rose  his  infernal 
majesty,  the  king  of  evil,  before  whom  the  entire  com- 
pany knelt — or  rather  squatted  on  their  heels — 

"What  was  he  like?"  queried  the  prince. 

I  cannot  answer  that  question,  your  highness — and 
for  a  very  good  reason,  as  will  be  learned  further  on. 
When  Lucifer  appeared  all  the  witches  disrobed — 

"Not  to  the  buff?"  again  interrupted  the  prince. 

Yes,  your  highness,  and  further.  They  took  off 
their  skins,  too;  and  when  their  hideous,  wrinkled, 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  319 

warty  hides  were  stripped  off,  they  were  the  most 
beautiful  and  fascinating  fairies. 

My  Lilith  was  more  transcendently  lovely  than  any 
image  of  a  goddess  I  ever  saw — she  was  perfect  beauty 
idealized!  Your  highness  will  understand  now  why 
I  had  no  eyes  for  the  prince  of  darkness.  I  had  lost 
command  of  my  head— for  one  kiss  from  Lilith 's 
ravishing  lips  I  would  have  bonded  my  soul  to  the 
devil. 

Behoric,  the  real  demon,  for  whom  my  blood-com- 
rade was  called,  now  took  a  black  book  from  his 
knapsack,  and  bade  his  namesake  step  forward  to  be 
stigmatized.  This  was  accomplished  as  follows : 
Behoric  plucked  a  quill  from  Belphegor's  wings,  and 
with  the  nib  made  tiny  punctures  in  my  comrade's 
arm,  thus  forming  letters.  After  making  a  puncture  in 
the  flesh  he  would  make  a  dot  with  the  bloody  quill- 
point  on  a  page  in  the  black  book.  When  his  task  was 
finished,  the  name  "Behoric"  gleamed  in  red  letters  on 
my  comrade's  arm ;  and  in  letters  of  flame  on  the  page 
in  the  black  book. 

The  demon  then  presented  to  his  namesake  a  thaler, 
as  christening  gift ;  after  which,  he  turned  to  me,  and 
said  I  should  also  receive  a  thaler  if  I  would  allow  him 
to  register  my  name  among  those  of  the  chosen  ones 
of  hell. 

Not  for  a  dozen  thalers  would  I  have  consented ;  but, 
for  one  kiss  from  my  fascinating  Lilith,  I  would  have 
done  anything  asked  of  me. 

I  extended  my  arm  for  the  stigma;  but  my  blood- 
comrade  stepped  up  to  me  and  said : 


320  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

"Comrade,  do  you  see  this  thaler  which  I  got  in 
exchange  for  my  soul?  I  want  you  to  give  me  your 
bride  for  it." 

As  I  have  told  you,  a  blood-comrade  dare  not  refuse 
the  request  made  by  his  fellow.  I  pocketed  the  thaler, 
placed  Lilith's  beautiful  hand  in  Behoric's  palm,  and 
saw  them  move  away  to  join  the  dancers. 

Behoric  and  Belphegor  now  seized  my  collar,,  and 
importuned  me  to  have  my  name  recorded  in  the  black 
book;  but,  with  the  loss  of  my  bride,  all  desire  to  join 
the  demon  ranks  vanished. 

In  vain  I  made  all  sorts  of  excuses ;  they  would  not 
release  me.  At  last,  I  cried  with  simulated  anger: 
"To  the  devil  with  you !  Not  a  single  member  of  my 
family  ever  was  known  to  sign  a  contract  when  sober ! 
I  will  eat  and  drink,  then  I'll  talk  business  with  you !" 

Hardly  had  the  last  word  crossed  my  lips,  when 
before  me  stood  a  table  loaded  with  delicious  viands, 
and  rare  wines.  The  wedding  guests  seated  them- 
selves around  the  table,  and  proceeded  to  enjoy  the 
repast,  but  to  my  extreme  disappointment  both  wines 
and  food  were  without  taste.  There  was  no  substance 
to  the  former,  no  savor  to  the  latter. 

I  began  to  quarrel  with  the  demons : 

"I  can't  eat  this  food,"  I  exclaimed  irritably.  "I 
can't  eat  meat  without  salt." 

"Salt?"  repeated  one  of  them.  "Where  should  we 
get  salt?  There  is  no  ocean  in  hell." 

"But," — I  persisted — "I  must  have  some  salt — and 
if  you  have  to  fetch  me  Lot's  wife — " 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  321 

"Don't  scold  so,  little  man,"  jestingly  interrupted 
Lilith,  pulling  my  mustache.  "Here — taste  what  is 
on  my  lips." 

"I  don't  want  honey — I  want  salt/'  I  yelled,  pushing 
her  away.  "Donner  und  Blitz!  Give  me  salt,  or  I'll 
skin  Lucifer !" 

Now,  a  curse  has  the  same  effect  on  a  demon  that  a 
prayer  has  on  an  angel. 

The  younger  devils  rushed  with  all  speed  possible  to 
Lucifer's  palace  to  fetch  the  only  salt-cellar  in  the 
infernal  regions ;  it  is  for  the  sole  use  of  the  king  of 
evil.  This  salt-cellar  is  a  large  mussel-shell  and  looks 
like  a  christening  bowl;  it  is  filled  with  salt  collected 
from  the  tears  shed  by  penitent  sinners  who  delayed 
their  repentance  until  it  was  too  late. 

Two  active  little  imps  dragged  the  salt-cellar  to  my 
side. 

"Here's  salt  at  last— God  be  praised !"  I  exclaimed 
in  a  loud  voice. 

The  next  instant  the  table  with  its  viands  disap- 
peared amid  an  unearthly  din,  and  rumbling  as  of 
thunder.  The  demons  sank  cursing  into  the  earth; 
the  witches  flew  yelling  into  the  air,  and  I  fell  backward 
to  the  ground  unconscious. 

When  I  came  to  my  senses,  I  was  lying  in  a  peat 
bog  one  hundred  and  twenty  miles  from  the  Black 
Forest,  in  which  I  had  celebrated  my  marriage  the 
night  before  with  the  beautiful  Lilith. 

"Either  you  are  a  madman,  or  you  dreamed  all  this 
nonsense,"  in  a  stern  tone  observed  the  prince,  at  the 


322  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

conclusion  of  Hugo's  recital.  "I  don't  believe  a  single 
word  of  it." 

"Well,"  commented  the  chair  with  less  emphasis; 
"one  thing  is  clear:  Among  the  many  lies  the  rascal 
has  entertained  us  with  for  weeks,  this  last  tale  is  the 
only  one  to  bear  a  semblance  to  the  truth.  Similar 
occurrences  are  related  by  Majolus,  and  Ghirlandinus ; 
also  by  the  world-renowned  Boccaccio,  whose  state- 
ments no  one  would  think  of  doubting.  /  say  that,  for 
once,  the  accused  has  adhered  strictly  to  the  truth." 

"Very  good,"  decisively  responded  the  prince. 
"Then,  as  he  did  not  sign  the  compact  with  Satan,  he 
cannot  be  charged  with  pactum  diabolicum  implicitum. 
Consequently,  this  indictment  may  also  be  expunged 
from  the  record.'* 


PART   XII. 


THE    BREAD    OF    SHAME. 

CHAPTER  I. 
THE  MAGIC  THALER. 

The  most  convincing  proof  that  everything 
occurred  as  I  related  it,  said  the  prisoner,  continuing 
his  confession  the  next  day,  was  the  thaler  I  found  in 
my  pocket,  when  I  came  to  my  senses  in  the  peat  bog 
near  the  "kempenel" — the  thaler  my  blood-comrade 
gave  me  in  exchange  for  Lilith.  I  remembered  what 
I  had  heard  the  witches  say  about  the  commandant's 
visit  to  the  inn-keeper  and  though  I  had  suffered 
terribly  because  I  had  tried  once  to  perform  a  good 
deed  at  his  house,  I  decided  to  warn  him  of  the  danger 
which  threatened  him  that  night. 

It  was  very  late  in  the  evening  when  I  drew  near  the 
inn;  but  light  still  gleamed  from  the  windows,  and 
sounds  of  merriment  came  from  the  open  door. 

The  inn-keeper,  who  was  celebrating  his  marriage 
with  his  fifth  wife,  recognized  me  at  once.  He  was 
not  in  the  least  rejoiced  to  see  me  again;  quite  the 
contrary :  (323) 


324  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

"See !"  he  called  to  his  friends  inside  the  house,  "this 
is  the  fellow  I  told  you  about — the  one  who  predicted 
what  would  happen  to  the  Antwerp  caravan.  Every 
word  he  said  came  true !  He  shall  not  come  into  my 
house  again.  I  dare  say,"  he  added,  speaking  to  me 
from  the  door-way,  "I  dare  say  you  have  another 
witch-story  to  tell?  Don't  you  dare  to  utter  one  word 
of  your  evil  prophecies,  you  bird  of  evil  omen !" 

The  entire  company  seized  cudgels  and  chairs  and 
threatened  to  brain  me  if  I  opened  my  lips. 

"Just  keep  your  temper,  good  people,"  I  returned 
coolly,  "I  don't  intend  to  tell  you  what  would  be  of 
great  benefit  to  you — your  treatment  of  me  is  so 
unfriendly,  I  shall  not  say  one  word — I  want  nothing 
from  you  but  some  bread  and  cheese,  and  a  mug  of 
beer:  and  a  bundle  of  straw  in  a  corner  where  I  may 
pass  the  night." 

"Have  you  money  to  pay  for  all  this?"  demanded 
the  inn-keeper. 

"Certainly  I  have;"  and  I  handed  him  my  thaler. 

"Ho-ho,  fellow,  this  is  a  counterfeit,"  he  sneered, 
tossing  the  coin  to  the  ceiling  and  letting  it  fall  on  the 
stone  table. 

The  clear  ringing  sound  was  unmistakable — the 
thaler  was  genuine.  Angered  by  the  insolence  of  the 
inn-keeper,  I  said  in  a  tone,  the  meaning  of  which  he 
could  not  mistake: 

"Look  here,  beer-seller;  I  want  you  to  understand 
that  /  am  not  a  circulator  of  counterfeit  money !" 

"What !"  he  roared  in  a  fury ;  "do  you  dare  to  insinu- 
ate that  7  circulate  counterfeit  money?  For  your 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  325 

impudence  I  shall  keep  this  thaler,  and  have  it  tested 
in  the  city  tomorrow ;  and  that  you  may  not  run  away 
in  the  meantime,  I  shall  pen  you  in  my  hen-coop." 

The  entire  company  helped  him  to  thrust  me  into 
the  coop,  which  was  so  small  I  could  neither  stand 
upright  nor  lie  down  in  it. 

And  there  I  crouched,  hungry  and  thirsty  as  I  had 
come  from  the  witch-wedding. 

Suddenly  the  early  morning  quiet  was  broken  by  a 
fanfare  in  front  of  the  inn.  I  heard  horses'  hoofs 
stamping  the  earth;  loud  shouts  and  curses;  and  the 
clank  of  weapons — the  commandant  of  Bilsen  had 
arrived  with  his  troops. 

In  a  trice  the  doors  were  broken  open ;  the  startled 
wedding  guests  could  neither  escape  nor  defend  them- 
selves. The  soldiers  cut  down  all  that  came  in  their 
way:  men,  women,  old  and  young.  From  my  hen- 
coop I  witnessed  the  slaughter,  which  I  cannot 
describe,  for  I  grow  faint  with  horror  if  I  but  think 
of  it. 

Not  even  a  dog  was  left  alive  about  the  inn.  When 
the  work  of  butchery  was  completed  one  of  the  soldiers 
took  it  into  his  head  to  peep  into  the  hen-coop.  He 
saw  me,  broke  the  lock  with  his  hatchet,  and  dragged 
me  out  by  the  hair. 

"Don't  kill  me,  comrade,"  I  begged,  "I  am  only  a 
poor  soldier  like  yourself.  The  inn  people  took  all 
my  money,  and  penned  me  in  the  coop — you  can  see 
for  yourself  that  I  am  not  one  of  them,  but  a  foot-sore 
wanderer." 

"Did  they  take  all  your  money?"  asked  the  trooper. 


326  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

"I  had  only  a  thaler;  the  inn-keeper  said  it  was 
counterfeit,  and  kept  it." 

"Let's  see  if  you're  telling  the  truth,"  said  the  fellow, 
beginning  to  search  about  my  clothes. 

"Ha!  What's  this?"  he  exclaimed  suddenly,  hold- 
ing up  the  thaler  he  had  found  in  one  of  my  pockets. 
"I  thought  you  were  lying,  you  rascal,"  he  added, 
giving  me  a  blow  with  his  fist,  and  thrusting  my  thaler 
into  his  pocket. 

At  that  moment  another  trooper  approached,  and 
said  something  to  the  first,  about  not  making  'way 
with  me — that  the  French  recruiting  officers  would 
give  ten  thalers  for  such  a  sturdy  chap.  Then  he  too 
inquired  if  I  had  any  money. 

I  swore  I  had  none ;  but  he  was  as  incredulous  as  his 
comrade,  and  also  searched  my  pockets.  In  one  of 
them  he  found  the  thaler  which  had  returned  to  my 
possession ;  and  he  too  gave  me  a  blow  for  telling  him 
a  lie. 

Then  came  a  third  trooper  with  the  same  inquiry: 
"Have  you  money?" 

I  had  not  yet  got  used  to  having  the  thaler  return  to 
me,  so  I  said: 

"No,  my  friend,  I  haven't  another  penny" — and  he 
didn't  find  anything  in  my  pockets;  but  when,  at  his 
command,  I  drew  off  my  boots,  the  thaler  fell  out  of 
one  of  them. 

From  this  trooper  also  I  received  a  vigorous  blow 
for  lying.  When  the  fourth,  fifth,  and  sixth  troopers 
followed  with  the  same  demand  for  money,  I  replied : 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  327 

"Yes,  friend,  I  think  I  have  a  thaler  somewhere 
about  my  clothes — just  search  me  and  maybe  you'll 
find  it." 

And  every  one  of  them  found  the  thaler — once  it  was 
found  tucked  under  the  collar  of  my  coat ;  another  time 
in  the  lining ;  a  third  time  in  my  neck-ruff. 

My  fun  came  afterward,  when  the  troopers  discov- 
ered they  were  minus  the  thaler  they  had  taken  from 
me.  They  accused  one  another  of  stealing,  which  led 
to  a  scuffle  and  blows. 

I  was  sold  for  ten  thalers  to  the  Frenchmen,  who, 
when  they  stripped  me  to  put  me  into  uniform,  also 
searched  my  clothes.  They  found  nothing;  but  when 
they  were  shearing  my  hair  the  thaler  suddenly 
dropped  to  the  floor. 

The  sergeant  pounced  on  it,  exclaiming : 

"A  thaler  profit,  comrades ! — we'll  have  a  drink  at 
once !" 

Beer  was  ordered  from  the  inn,  in  which  they  were 
quartered ;  and  while  they  were  drinking,  the  sergeant 
turned  to  me  and  said : 

"Are  you  thirsty  lad?  You  are?  Very  well,  then, 
go  into  the  yard,  lift  your  face  to  the  clouds,  and  open 
your  mouth  wide — it's  raining  heavily!  When  you 
have  quenched  your  thirst  from  the  clouds,  stand  guard 
at  the  gate." 

I  had  to  obey,  and  stand  guard ;  but  I  did  not  quench 
my  thirst  with  rain  water. 

After  a  while  I  heard  loud  voices  in  the  bar-room. 
The  inn-keeper's  wife  was  accusing  the  soldiers  of 


328  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

stealing  the  thaler  given  to  her  by  the  sergeant  for  the 
beer.  She  said  it  had  been  taken  from  the  drawer, 
while  she  was  attending  to  her  work  in  the  kitchen. 

"Which  of  you  fellows  stole  the  thaler?"  angrily 
demanded  the  sergeant. 

No  one  answered;  whereupon  the  sergeant  pro- 
ceeded to  flog  the  men,  one  after  the  other,  with  a 
bunch  of  hazef-switches.  But  the  thaler  was  not 
found. 

Then  the  five  soldiers  seized  the  sergeant,  and  paid 
back  what  he  had  loaned  them;  as  each  had  received 
six  blows,  the  number  delivered  to  him  in  payment 
amounted  to  thirty. 

"Fine  discipline !"  I  said  to  myself.  "Fine  disci- 
pline, where  the  sergeant  flogs  his  men,  and  the  men 
flog  the  sergeant  in  turn !  It's  a  fine  service  I've  got 
into,  I  must  say." 

I  thrust  my  hands  into  the  pockets  of  my  wide  trunk- 
hose,  and  what  do  you  suppose  I  found  in  one  of  them? 
The  dangerous  thaler!  It  had  not  occurred  to  the 
Frenchmen  to  search  me ! 

"I  don't  see  how  such  a  thing  could  happen,"  in  a 
puzzled  tone,  observed  the  prince. 

"There  is  no  mystery  about  it,"  returned  the  chair. 
"The  coin  was  a  'breeding-thaler' — as  it  is  called.  A 
breeding-thaler  will  return  to  the  pocket  of  its  owner, 
no  matter  how  often  he  may  spend  it.  If,  however,  he 
bestows  it  as  a  gift  on  any  one,  it  will  not  return  to 
him ;  but  to  the  person  to  whom  he  has  given  it." 

"Ah,  had  I  only  known  that  sooner !"  in  a  tone  of 
deep  regret,  murmured  the  delinquent. 


CHAPTER  II. 
THE  HUSBAND  OF  THE  WIFE  OF  ANOTHER  MAN. 

The  breeding-thaler  was  not  of  much  use  to  me,  for 
I  was  in  a  region  where  there  was  nothing  I  cared  to 
purchase. 

I  was  with  the  French  camp  in  front  of  the  city  of 
Lille,  where  I  had  been  assigned  .  to  the  artillery, 
because  I  had  admitted  that  I  knew  something  about 
the  management  of  cannon. 

It  was  a  miserable  existence:  crouched  day  and 
night  in  the  trenches ;  or,  on  the  lookout  for  the  gren- 
ades, which  were  hurled  into  our  camp  from  the  city 
we  were  besieging. 

But  I  could  have  endured  all  the  hardships  if  I  had 
had  enough  to  eat.  The  French  general  would  not  al- 
low any  vivandieres  with  spiritous  liquors  to  enter  the 
battery ;  the  gunners,  he  said,  must  remain  sober ;  and 
that  they  might  not  want  to  drink,  they  were  given 
very  little  to  eat,  as  eating  promotes  thirst.  If  I  sent 
a  sapper  with  a  jug  to  the  canteen  for  beer,  he  would 
invariably  return  with  the  empty  jug,  and  swear  he 
had  lost  the  thaler  I  had  given  him  on  the  way — 
which  was  true;  for,  no  matter  how  often  I  tried  it, 
the  coin  would  be  back  in  my  pocket  before  the 
messenger  had  been  gone  five  minutes.  The  conse- 
quence was  I  was  in  a  continual  state  of  hunger  and 
thirst.  (329) 


330  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

The  officers,  on  the  contrary,  had  plenty  to  eat  and 
drink.  They  were  always  feasting  and  making  merry 
in  their  tents. 

My  captain  had  in  camp  with  him  a  companion  of 
the  gentler  sex,  who  was  not  his  wife,  nor  was  she  his 
sister,  daughter,  or  mother — nor  yet  his  grand-mother. 
This  lady  would  sometimes  accompany  him  on  his 
tours  of  inspection,  riding  by  his  side,  in  a  long  silk 
habit,  with  a  plumed  cap  on  her  head.  She  was  a 
beautiful  creature. 

One  day  the  general,  who  had  got  tired  seeing  so 
many  women  about,  gave  orders  that  every  one  not 
having  a  legal  husband  among  his  troops  should 
leave  the  camp  within  twenty-four  hours.  That  day 
my  captain  came  to  me,  and  after  making  believe  he 
was  come  on  business  about  the  guns,  said :  "By  the 
way,  gunner,  you  look  to  me  like  a  chap  who  was  used 
to  something  better  than  loading  cannon  and  sleeping 
on  the  ground — " 

"And  gnawing  dry  bread,"  I  ventured  to  append. 

He  laughed,  and  said  again : 

"I've  half  a  mind  to  appoint  you  my  adjutant — how 
would  that  suit  you?" 
;  "I  shouldn't  object." 

"Will  you  do  me  a  small  favor  in  return?" 

"Whatever  I  can,  sir." 

"I  should  want  you  to  keep  a  well-supplied  table, 
and  invite  me  to  dine  and  sup.  I,  of  course,  will  pay 
.all  expenses," 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  531 

'That  doesn't  sound  like  a  very  hard  task,  sir,"  I 
replied. 

"It  isn't — only  there's  a  condition  goes  with  it.  In 
order  to  entertain  properly  an  officer  of  my  rank,  there 
will  have  to  be  a  lady  to  do  the  honors  of  the  table." 

"But,  where  can  I  get  the  lady,  sir?" 

"I'll  find  one  for  you — the  lady  you  have  seen  riding 
with  me.  She  has  long  possessed  my  deepest  respect." 

I  scratched  my  head  back  of  the  right  ear : 

"If  you  respect  the  lady  so  much,  sir,  why  don't  you 
marry  her?" 

"Stupid  fellow ! — because  I  already  have  a  wife." 

"Look  here,  sir,"  I  said  after  a  moment's  delibera- 
tion, "I  have  eaten  all  sorts  of  ammunition  bread  dur- 
ing my  experience  as  a  soldier;  I  have  cheated  and 
stolen ;  but  I  have  never  occupied  a  position  so  low  as 
the  one  you  want  me  to  accept." 

"But,  my  lad,  consider  the  advantages:  Plenty  to 
eat,  and  drink,  and  nothing  to  do — that  is  one  alterna- 
tive; the  other:  in  the  trenches  night  and  day,  bread 
and  water!  I  will  give  you  half  an  hour  to  think  it 
over;  if  you  refuse  I  shall  offer  the  position  to  some 
one  else — some  one  who  is  not  so  squeamish  as  you." 

That  was  a  long  half  hour ! 

I  thought  over  what  I  had  to  lose  if  I  accepted  the 
position :  Honor?  I  had  very  little  left;  but,  if  I  had 
squandered  it  I  had  done  so  with  my  sword  and 
musket,  idled  it  away  in  a  hundred  ways — though 
never  in  the  despicable  manner  suggested  to  me  by  my 
captain. 


332  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

But  I  had  been  persecuted  and  cursed  for  trying  to 
do  good — what  use  to  try  again?  Besides,  I  hadn't 
anything  to  lose :  I  might  as  well  eat  and  drink  away 
the  little  self-respect  and  honor  I  still  possessed. 

At  the  end  of  the  half  hour,  the  captain  came  for  my 
decision.  I  said : 

"I  accept  your  offer,  sir — here's  my  hand  on  it !" 

I  held  out  my  hand,  and  so  did  he ;  but,  before  they 
came  together,  each  of  us  drew  back — each  prompted 
by  the  same  thought:  "This  fellow's  hand  is  more 
soiled  than  mine — I  cannot  take  it!" 

But,  I  married  the  donna  that  afternoon,  bestowing 
on  her  one  of  my  numerous  names ;  and  after  the  chap- 
lain of  the  regiment  had  performed  the  ceremony,  this 
thought  involuntarily  suggested  itself  to  me :  "Hugo, 
my  lad,  you  are  not  the  only  one  cheated  in  this 
business." 

From  that  hour  it  went  well  with  my  body — and 
luckily  one's  stomach  does  not  possess  a  conscience ! 
In  addition  to  a  well-filled  larder  and  cellar,  I  had  a 
title— I  was  called  "adjutant." 

I  saw  my  bride  only  at  table;  how  frequently  the 
captain  visited  my  quarters  I  cannot  say.  When  he 
was  obliged  to  absent  himself  on  duty  connected  with 
the  campaign,  he  would  always  try  to  surprise  her  by 
an  unexpected  return. 

One  day  she  was  more  than  surprised  when  her  lover 
was  brought  back  to  camp  minus  his  head ;  he  had  had 
the  misfortune  to  get  within  range  of  a  cannon  shot 
from  the  enemy's  lines. 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  333 

My  situation  now  became  anything  but  agreeable. 
I  ceased  to  be  an  adjutant,  but  I  was  still  the  husband 
of  my  wife — a  role  I  found  it  exceedingly  difficult  to 
continue.  The  woman  had  been  accustomed  to  every 
luxury;  but,  as  money  does  not  fall  from  the  sky,  I 
found  great  difficulty  in  providing  her  with  the  bare 
necessities  of  life.  One  after  another  of  the  costly 
ornaments  she  had  received  from  the  captain  were 
disposed  of  to  supply  her  numerous  demands,  until  all 
were  gone.  Then  she  began  to  quarrel  with  me  and 
accused  me  with  trying  to  starve  her. 

I  bethought  me  of  the  magic  coin  I  had  carried  in 
my  pocket  all  this  time,  merely  as  a  souvenir  of  the 
demon-assembly  in  the  Black  Forest.  I  said  to  it: 
"Now,  thaler,  show  what  you  can  do!"  and  gave  it 
to  the  woman  to  buy  what  was  necessary. 

I  did  not  know  then  that  if  a  breeding-thaler  were 
given  away  it  would  not  return ;  and  when  I  placed  it 
in  the  woman's  hand  I  believed,  of  course,  I  should 
find  it  again  in  a  few  minutes  in  my  pocket. 

But  I  never  saw  the  thaler  again !' 

When,  at  the  expiration  of  several  hours,  it  did  not 
return  to  me,  I  consoled  myself  with  thinking  it  must 
be  in  th&  woman's  pocket.  But  it  had  not  returned 
to  her — she  had  given  it  to  an  ensign  who  had  been 
an  admirer  of  hers  for  a  long  time.  So,  the  magic 
thaler  was  gone  for  good,  and  I  had  nothing  but  the 
woman  I  had  married  to  please  my  captain — and  he 
was  dead! 

What  was  to  be  done?    Should  I  run  away  from  my 


334  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

wife,  and  my  flag? — become  a  two-fold  deserter?  I 
pondered  over  this  question  for  three  days;  for  three 
long  days  I  endured  the  taunts  of  my  wife,  and  the 
ridicule  of  my  comrades,  and  on  the  third  I  fled — 

"I  should  have  run  away  the  first  day !"  emphatically 
exclaimed  the  prince,  giving  the  table  a  thump  with 
his  fist. 

The  mayor's  eye  twinkled  as  he  added : 

"Consequently,  desertion  may  also  be  stricken 
from  the  register !" 

(Quod  dixi  dixi) 


PART   XIII. 


THE  EXCHANGE  OF  BODIES. 


CHAPTER  I. 
THE  QUACK  DOCTOR. 

"Well,  you  godless  reprobate,"  began  the  mayor, 
addressing  the  prisoner,  when  the  court  was  assembled 
the  next  day  for  a  further  hearing  of  the  remarkable 
case,  "you  have  come  to  the  last  of  your  crimes ;  you 
have  illustrated  how  the  seven  mortal  sins  may  be 
trebled,  and  how  the  perpetrator  may  clear  himself  of 
the  entire  twenty-one,  if  he  possesses  a  fluent  tongue. 
With  your  entertaining  fables  you  have  understood 
how  to  extend  the  time  of  your  trial  five  months  and 
two  weeks,  believing,  no  doubt,  that  the  Frenchmen 
would  in  the  meantime  seize  the  fortress  and  save  you 
from  the  gallows.  But  that  has  not  come  to  pass. 
Only  one  more  indictment  remains  on  your  list — 
Treason.  I  don't  believe  you  will  be  able  to  talk  your- 
self out  of  that !  But  we  will  now  hear  you  make  the 
attempt." 

The  prisoner  bowed  and  summoned  to  his  aid  the 
muse,  by  whose  help  he  had  wrested  from  death  one 

(335) 


336  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

day  after  another,  to  assist  him  win  yet  another  twenty- 
four  hours  in  God's  beautiful  world. 

As  the  honorable  gentlemen  of  the  court  are  aware, 
I  entered  into  service  here,  after  I  deserted  from  the 
French  camp  at  Lille — and  I  have  tried  to  do  my  duty 
faithfully,  as  becomes  a  good  soldier — 

"I  must  say" — interrupted  the  prince  with  consid- 
erable stress — "you  were  the  best  gunner  in  my 
artillery." 

After  he  had  thanked  his  highness  for  the  compli- 
ment, the  prisoner  resumed: 

One  day,  while  I  was  deeply  absorbed  in  my 
technical  studies,  a  quack  doctor  was  brought  to  my 
quarters.  He  had  announced  that  he  was  my  messen- 
ger to  the  camp  of  the  enemy,  and  that  he  had  returned 
with  some  important  information  for  me. 

He  was  an  imposter ;  I  had  not  employed  any  one  to 
perform  such  errands  for  me.  I  ordered  the  fellow  to 
be  brought  before  me.  He  was  of  low,  but  vigorous 
stature,  with  a  crafty  countenance,  and  cunning  leer. 
He  had  with  him  an  entire  apothecary's  outfit :  a  chest 
filled  with  all  sorts  of  oils,  extracts,  unguents,  and  pills. 

The  fellow  laughed  in  my  face  and  said  in  an  impu- 
dent tone : 

"Well,  comrade,  don't  you  know  me?" 

"No;  I  have  never  before  seen  your  ugly  phiz,"  I 
replied,  a  trifle  angrily. 

"Nor  have  I  seen  yours;  but  I  know  you  for  all 
that— Belphegor." 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  387 

I  was  startled.  "You  are  Behoric?"  I  exclaimed. 
I  sent  the  orderly  from  the  room,  then  asked : 

"How  did  you  manage  to  find  me?  You  never  saw 
me  without  a  mask." 

"I  will  tell  you :  I  have  two  magic  rings ;  one  I  wear 
on  the  little  finger  of  my  right  hand ;  the  other  on  the 
little  finger  of  my  left  hand,  both  with  the  setting 
turned  inward.  If  I  say  to  the  rings:  'I  want  to  find 
my  blood-comrade,  Belphegor/  one  of  them  turns 
around  on  my  finger  and  the  setting  shows  me  the  way 
I  must  go.  If  I  arrive  at  a  point  where  two  roads 
meet,  the  other  ring  shows  me  which  to  take.  That 
is  how  I  came  here." 

The  explanation  did  not  altogether  satisfy  me — the 
fellow's  face  made  me  doubt  the  truth  of  it ;  but  I  could 
not  deny  that  I  was  his  blood-comrade.  Besides,  I 
entertained  a  sort  of  affection  for  him;  we  had  been 
good  comrades,  and  had  not  drank  each  other's  blood 
for  nothing. 

"Well,"  said  I,  after  deliberating  a  moment,  "what 
brings  you  here? — here,  where  nothing  is  to  be  got  but 
fiery  bullets." 

"I  came  to  ask  you  to  exchange  bodies." 

'Why  do  you  wish  to  exchange?" 
The  leader  has  ordered  it." 

'Do  you  still  belong  to  the  satyrs?" 

"Yes — and  so  do  you.  It  is  not  a  disease  from 
which  one  can  recover;  nor  an  office  one  may  resign. 
It  is  not  a  garment  one  may  cast  aside ;  nor  a  wife  one 
may  divorce.  In  a  word,  once  a  satyr,  always  a  satyr," 


338  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

"I  pledged  only  my  body,  not  my  soul,"  I  inter- 
rupted. 

"And  it  isn't  your  soul  I  want,  comrade ;  only  your 
body.  You  may  carry  your  soul  in  my  body,  and  go 
whithersoever  it  may  please  you  to  wander." 

"But,  what  shall  I  do  while  in  your  body?" 

"You  will  do  what  I  should  do:  sell  theriac  and 
arsenic;  lapis  nephriticus,  nostra  paracelsi,  apoponax, 
and  salamander  ointment — for  all  of  which  you  will 
receive  good,  hard  coin  from  the  credulous  fools  who 
will  be  your  customers.  It  is  the  easiest  life  in  the 
world!" 

"But  I  don't  know  the  least  thing  about  your 
medicaments,  and  couldn't  tell  what  any  of  them  would 
heal  or  cure." 

"Oh,  you  need  not  trouble  your  head  about  that! 
Just  take  a  look  into  this  chest.  See — here  in  the 
different  compartments  are  arranged  various  bottles, 
vials  and  boxes,  with  the  names  of  their  contents  above 
them.  These  tiny  letters  under  each  one,  which 
cannot  be  read  without  the  aid  of  a  magnifying  glass, 
are  the  names  of  the  diseases  for  which  the  contents  of 
the  bottles,  vials,  and  boxes  are  infallible  remedies. 
When  a  patient  applies  to  you,  listen  what  he  has  to 
say;  then,  diagnose  the  disease,  consult  your  micro- 
scopic directions,  and  dose  him  according  to  his  ability 
to  pay." 

"And  how  long  will  I  have  to  wear  your  hideous 
form  and  let  you  occupy  my  stately  proportions?"  I 
asked. 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  339 

"Until  we  both  desire  to  exchange  again.  I  will  give 
you  one  of  my  magic  rings  and  I'll  keep  the  other.  If 
you  turn  the  ring  on  your  finger  at  the  same  moment 
I  turn  mine,  then  the  exchange  will  be  effected,  no 
matter  how  far  apart  our  bodies  may  be.  Now,  take 
this  ring,  and  summon  your  orderly.  Bid  him  escort 
me  to  the  gate,  and  give  me  a  glass  of  brandy  before  he 
lets  me  depart." 

I  obeyed  these  directions  and:  after  a  few  minutes, 
the  burning  in  my  throat  convinced  me  that  I  was  in 
Behoric's  squat  body ;  that  he  occupied  my  taller  shell 
I  found  very  shortly. 

Hardly  had  the  exchange  taken  place,  when  a  bom- 
bardier came  to  announce  that  the  second  cannon  in 
the  third  battery  had  burst,  whereupon  Behoric  in  my 
body  answered: 

"Boil  some  glue,  and  stick  the  pieces  together;  then 
wind  some  stout  twine  around  the  cannon  to  prevent 
it  from  bursting  again/' 

At  these  directions  the  bombardier  and  the  orderly 
exchanged  glances  and  snickered. 

"This  won't  do  at  all,"  I  said  to  myself,  so  I  whis- 
pered to  my  figure :  "Behoric,  just  change  back  again 
for  a  second,  will  you?" 

Each  turned  the  ring  on  his  finger,  and  I  was 
again  I. 

"Take  the  broken  cannon  to  the  arsenal,"  I  said  to 
the  grinning  bombardier,  "and  put  in  its  place  one  of 
the  bronze  pieces  from  chamber  number  IV.  Why  do 
you  laugh,  idiot?" 


340  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

Then  Behoric  and  I  exchanged  again,  and  I  found 
myself  trudging  in  his  body  down  the  hill  from  the 
fortress,  with  the  medicine  chest  on  my  back.  I  was 
obliged  to  pass  through  the  beleaguerer's  camp,  and, 
naturally,  was  commanded  to  halt.  When  they  spoke 
to  me  I  could  not  understand  them — I,  who  am  per- 
fectly familiar  with  French,  Latin,  English,  Polish, 
Russian,  Turkish,  Indian,  Dutch — I,  with  Behoric's 
untutored  ears,  and  with  his  inability  to  converse  in 
any  language  but  the  German,  could  not  understand 
a  word  the  Frenchmen  said  to  me.  The  colonel  was 
obliged  to  send  for  an  interpr eter. 

"Have  you  been  inside  the  fortress?"  I  was  asked. 

"I  have." 

"Did  you  deliver  to  the  chief  gunner  what  I  sent 
with  you?" 

"I  did."  * 

"Will  he  do  what  I  ask?" 

"He  will." 

Here,  to  my  great  surprise — for  I  had  done  nothing 
to  earn  it — the  colonel  pressed  fifty  thalers  into  my 
palm,  and  motioned  me  to  pass  on  my  way. 

I  wandered  out  into  the  world,  trudged  from  city  to 
city,  selling  the  contents  of  my  chest,  until  I  came  to 
Madgeburg,  where,  having  accumulated  a  considerable 
sum  of  money,  I  bought  a  horse  and  wagon.  I  could 
now  travel  about  with  greater  convenience  and  speed 
than  when  forced  to  carry  the  heavy  medicine-chest  on 
my  back.  I  also  hired  an  assistant  to  blow  a  trumpet 
when  I  wanted  to  collect  a  crowd  around  my  wagon. 


TdLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  341 

I  became  so  well  satisfied  with  the  pleasant  life  I 
now  led,  no  thought  of  changing  back  to  my  own 
body  ever  occurred  to  me.  My  blood-comrade  might 
keep  it,  and  continue  to  fire  cannon  from  Ehrenbreit- 
stein — I  was  quite  content  with  my  quack-doctoring, 
and  with  his  anatomy. 

And  a  wonderfully  shrewd  and  sensible  little 
anatomy  it  was !  My  own  did  not  contain  a  tenth  part 
the  sense  that  was  in  his.  Therefore,  I  considered  it 
my  duty  to  bestow  the  best  of  care  on  it.  I  fattened  it 
with  the  same  attention  to  details  I  would  have 
observed  had  it  been  my  own  and  I  was  amply  able 
to  supply  it  with  everything  that  was  necessary  to 
increase  its  bulk. 

I  had  all  the  money  I  wanted.  The  regular  doctors 
became  impoverished;  for,  to  me  alone  would  the 
people  apply  for  help — and  I  must  say  the  remedies 
I  sold  accomplished  wonders. 

One  day,  however,  a  misfortune  occurred  to  me.  I 
was  selling  my  miracle-cures  in  the  market  place  in 
Madgeburg  as  fast  as  I  and  my  assistant  could  hand 
them  out,  when  some  one — a  wretch  hired  by  the 
envious  doctors,  no  doubt — thrust  a  piece  of  burning 
sponge  into  the  ear  of  my  horse.  You  may  guess  the 
result. 

The  horse  ran  away,  the  wagon  was  upset,  and  my 
medicaments  scattered  in  all  directions. 

My  neck  was  not  broken,  but  what  happened  was 
almost  as  bad.  When  I  came  to  replace  the  medica- 
ments in  the  chest,  I  found  that  I  could  not  remember 


342  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S 

just  where  each  bottle,  vial,  and  box  properly  belonged. 
However,  I  made  a  guess  of  it,  and  put  them  back 
where  I  thought  they  ought  to  be.  I  made  a  good 
many  mistakes,  though,  judging  by  some  of  the  very 
peculiar  effects  the  remedies  produced  after  the  acci- 
dent. 

The  syndic,  whose  right  leg  was  shorter  than  the  left, 
sent  for  me  to  remedy  the  defect.  I  was  a  little  fuddled 
from  having  emptied  a  bottle  of  good  French  wine 
just  before  I  quitted  my  lodgings;  and,  instead  of 
rubbing  the  elongating  ointment  on  the  shorter  limb, 
I  applied  it  to  the  longer  one;  the  consequence  of 
which  was:  the  longer  leg  increased  to  such  a  length 
that  the  worthy  syndic,  when  he  wanted  to  sit  down, 
had  to  perch  himself  on  the  buffet,  and  would  bump 
his  head  against  the  ceiling  every  step  he  took.  He 
threatened  to  shoot  me. 

A  second  mischance  occurred  when  I  was  called  to 
attend  the  president  of  the  Board  of  Trade.  He  had 
the  gout  in  both  feet  and  could  not  move  without 
crutches.  I  had  a  certain  remedy  for  that  fell  disease, 
a  remedy  so  powerful  that  .only  a  very  small  portion, 
about  the  size  of  a  pea,  was  required  to  embrocate  an 
afflicted  member.  Thinking  to  hasten  the  cure,  I 
applied  half  the  contents  of  a  box  to  each  foot,  which 
made  the  old  gentleman  so  active  and  nimble,  he  was 
forced,  for  a  time,  to  take  the  position  oi  runner  for 
the  Elector  of  Brandenburg,  because  he  could  not  keep 
his  feet  still ;  nor  could  he  sit  anywhere  but  at  a  loom, 
where  he  might  stamp  his  feet  continually;  and  at 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  343 

night,  when  he  wanted  to  go  to  sleep  he  had  to  be 
bound  to  a  tread-mill. 

Two  other  wonderfully  efficacious  remedies  were: 
a  wash  to  force  a  luxuriant  crop  of  curling  hair  to  grow 
on  a  bald  head ;  the  other,  if  applied  to  toothless  jaws, 
would  cause  new  teeth  to  appear. 

The  result  of  getting  these  two  remedies  misplaced 
was :  the  tooth-wash  was  used  on  the  bald  head  of  a 
man ;  and  the  hair-restorative  on  the  toothless  jaws  of 
a  woman.  Instead  of  hair,  two  beautiful  horns 
appeared  on  the  man's  head ;  while  the  woman  grew  a 
mustache  that  would  have  roused  the  envy  of  a  drum- 
major. 

But  these  cases  were  nothing  compared  to  what 
happened  to  the  wife  of  the  chief  justice.  She  was 
afflicted  with  severe  paroxysms  of  hiccoughing,  and  I 
was  summoned  to  relieve  her.  There  was  in  my  chest 
a  remedy  for  such  an  attack;  but,  having  been  mis- 
placed, I  got  hold  of  the  wrong  box,  and  administered 
to  the  sufferer  a  dose  of  pills  intended  to  force 
obstinate  hens  to  produce  eggs.  In  less  than  six 
weeks  that  unfortunate  lady  gave  birth  to  seven  living 
children — 

"I  don't  believe  it !  I  don't  believe  a  single  word  of 
it!"  interrupted  the  prince,  who  had  almost  burst  his 
belt  with  laughing.  "You  are  asking  too  much  if  you 
expect  us  to  credit  such  outrageous  fables. 

Here  the  chair  remarked  with  great  seriousness: 
"Beg  pardon,  your  highness:  but  there  are  authentic 
records  of  similar  cases.  In  Hungary,  the  wife  of  a 


344  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

Count  Miczbanus  gave  birth  at  one  time  to  seven  living 
sons,  all  of  whom  lived  to  grow  up." 

"She  certainly  took  some  of  the  prisoner's  hen  pills," 
laughingly  responded  his  highness. 

The  prisoner  continued : 

Naturally  mistakes  of  this  sort  roused  the  animosity 
of  the  patients ;  but,  none  were  so  enraged  as  was  the 
burgomaster.  His  case,  indeed,  capped  the  climax ! 
I  had  two  miraculous  cures :  one  would  cause  to  disap- 
pear from  the  human  nose  pimples,  warts  and  all  other 
disfiguring  excrescences ;  the  other  would  transform 
silver  into  gold. 

The  burgomaster  possessed  a  large  silver  snuff-box 
and  an  exceedingly  prominent  and  highly-colored  nose 
which  was  covered  with  unsightly  pimples0  He  sent 
for  me  in  secret  and  bade  me  test  the  efficacy  of  the 
two  miracle-cures  on  his  snuff-box  arid  on  his  nose. 

Like  some  of  the  other  remedies,  these  two  had  also 
changed  places,  in  consequence  of  which,  the  burgo- 
master's nose  turned  to  gold,  while  the  snuff-box 
vanished  as  if  from  the  face  of  the  earth. 

This  cure  so  amused  the  prince  he  could  hardly 
gasp: 

"Enough — enough  ! — no  more  today !  We  will 
hear  the  rest  tomorrow — I  am  faint  with  laughing." 

The  court  adjourned  until  the  following  day,  when 
the  prisoner  resumed  his  confession : 

As  might  be  expected,  this  last  mistake  of  mine 
caused  a  dispute  to  arise.  The  burgomaster,  however, 
was  not  so  angry  because  his  nose  had  changed  to 


TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD.  345 

gold ;  but  nothing  would  console  him  for  the  loss  of  his 
snuff-box.     He  actually  accused  me  of  stealing  it ! 

Had  the  worthy  man  been  versed  in  the  science  of 
chemistry,  he  would  have  known  that  there  are  sub- 
stances which  absorb,  and  consume,  each  other.  For 
instance:  argentum  vivum  will  dissipate  aurum;  and 
aqua  fortis  will  consume  silver  as  will  a  starving  cow 
barley.  This  is  called  occulta  qualitas. 

The  citizens  of  Madgeburg,  however,  are  not  clever 
enough  to  comprehend  matters  so  transcendental  in 
character.  I  was  summoned  to  appear  before  the 
mayor,  who,  being  father-in-law  to  a  doctor,  sen- 
tenced me,  out  of  spite,  to  be  flogged  in  public. 

This  did  not  suit  me  at  all,  so  I  said  to  myself: 
"Now,  friend  Behoric,  I  have  been  content  to  occupy 
your  carcass  without  murmuring,  so  long  as  nothing 
more  was  required  of  me  than  to  stuff  it  with  liver- 
pasties  and  oysters ;  but,  when  it  comes  to  having  the 
hide  tickled  with  a  cat-o'-nine  tails,  then  you  had  better 
come  back  into  it !" 

I  was  already  bound  to  the  pillory  and  the  execu- 
tioner had  bared  my  back,  revealing  the  marks  of 
former  scourging — of  which  I  could  remember  nothing 
as  they  were  on  Behoric's  body. 

When  the  executioner  saw  that  the  whip  would  not 
be  new  to  my  blood-comrade's  hide,  he  sent  for  a 
heavier  scourge,  the  ends  of  which  terminated  with 
barbed  nails. 

"Now,  Behoric/'  I  said,  "you  must  take  this  flogging 
yourself." 


346  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

My  hands  being  bound  together,  I  had  no  difficulty 
turning  the  ring  on  my  little  ringer.  I  had  given  it 
but  one  turn,  when,  to  my  great  joy,  I  found  myself  in 
my  own  body,  in  my  casemate  in  Ehrenbreitstein 
fortress ;  and  before  me  stood  his  honor,  here,  with  an 
empty  fire-ball  in  one  hand;  in  the  other,  what  he 
called  the  "proofs  of  my  treason." 

I  guessed  at  once  what  my  blood-comrade  had  been 
doing,  what  crime  he  had  committed  while  occupying 
my  body. 

The  Frenchmen,  who  are  leagued  with  the  Bocks- 
ritter,  had  sent  Behoric  to  the  fortress,  to  take  my 
place,  and  inform  them  what  was  going  on  in  here, 
When  he  found  that  his  crime  had  been  discovered  by 
his  honor,  the  mayor,  he  said  to  himself:  "It  is  time 
for  Belphegor  to  return  to  his  body;"  and,  as  it  hap- 
pened, he  turned  his  ring  at  the  same  moment  I  turned 
the  one  on  my  finger. 

I  can  imagine  his  consternation  when  he  found 
himself  in  the  pillory  in  Madgeburg,  with  his  back 
bared  for  the  scourge ;  and  I  have  to  laugh  every  time 
I  think  of  the  grimaces  he  must  have  made  when  the 
barbed  nails  cut  into  his  scarred  hide ! 

This,  your  highness,  and  honorable  gentlemen  ol 
the  court,  is  the  strictly  veracious  history  of  my  last 
capital  crime. 


PART   XIV. 


THE  WHITE  DOVE. 

The  decision  of  the  court  at  the  conclusion  of  the 
long  trial  was  as  follows : 

"Whereas :  After  hearing  all  the  evidence,  it  has 
been  found  impossible  to  establish  fully  the  exact 
nature  of  twenty-one  of  the  twenty-two  crimes,  for 
which  the  prisoner  has  been  indicted,  the  court  has 
decided  to  pronounce  him  guilty  of  only  the  twenty- 
second  and  last  on  the  register — 'Treason.' 

"But,  as  the  prisoner  avers  that  this  transgression 
was  committed  by  his  blood-comrade,  who  occupied 
his,  the  prisoner's,  body  at  the  time  the  crime  was  com- 
mitted; and  that  his,  the  prisoner's,  mind  was  not 
cognizant  of  the  blood-comrade's  intentions  when  the 
exchange  of  bodies  was  effected,  the  court  has  decided 
to  acquit  the  prisoner's  mind  and  commend  it  to  the 
mercy  of  God ;  and,  that  it  may  serve  as  a  lesson  to  all 
miscreants  who  contemplate  a  similar  crime,  to  sen- 
tence the  body  to  death  by  a  merciful  shot  in  the  back 
of  the  head." 

The  prisoner  thanked  the  court  for  its  clemency  and 
assured  the  honorable  gentlemen  that  he  had  no  desire 
to  postpone  the  execution  of  the  just  sentence. 

(347) 


348  TOLD  BY  THE  DEATH'S  HEAD. 

When  he  was  brought  to  the  place  of  execution  he 
removed  his  coat  and  hat,  then  requested,  as  a  last 
favor,  that  his  hands  might  be  left  free,  and  not  bound 
behind  his  back,  as  he  wished  to  clasp  them  on  his 
breast  in  prayer. 

The  request  was  granted.  He  knelt,  and  in  an 
audible  tone  repeated  the  Lord's  Prayer.  Then  he 
turned  toward  the  musketeers,  who  were  waiting 
matches  in  readiness  above  the  priming-pans,  and  said 
earnestly : 

"Comrades,  I  beg  you,  when  you  shoot  me,  try  also 
to  kill  the  raven  which  is  fluttering  on  my  shoulder" — 
he  glanced  furtively  toward  his  shoulder  and  added 
joyfully:  "No!  No!  it  is  not  the  raven — it  is  my 
white  dove — my  precious  white  dove !  She  has  come 
to  bear  my  soul  to  the  land  wherein  she  now  dwells ! 
My  good  angel! — My  Madus — my  only  love!" 

Twelve  musket  shots  rang  out  on  the  silent  air,  and 
the  white  dove  soared  away  with  the  released  soul. 


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